With the San Francisco 49ers jumping into the race for Peyton Manning’s services, free-agent quarterback Alex Smith is making a play of his own.  Smith is in Miami to visit Sunday with the Dolphins.  If Smith does indeed sign with the Dolphins and Peyton Manning goes to the 49ers this could be huge for San Francisco.  They already have an arsenal and adding Manning to the mix makes them Super Bowl favorites.  Read more after the jump.
“This is the NFL. I guess nothing surprises me anymore,” Smith told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Sunday.
“I never thought a year ago (Peyton) Manning would be a free agent either,” Smith told the newspaper. “I’m never surprised by anything.”
The 49ers have been working to re-sign Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005 who made a comeback in 2011 under first-year coach and former NFL QB Jim Harbaugh, and Smith has acknowledged he was happy with their three-year offer.
But that was before the 49ers worked out Manning and put him through a physical exam early last week.
Manning and Smith both are represented by agent Tom Condon and CAA Sports. The San Francisco Chronicle, citing a league source, is reporting that Smith is considering changing agents because of a possible conflict of interest.
Neither 49ers running back Frank Gore nor tight end Vernon Davis had been told by the 49ers they were pursuing Manning. Both are big fans of Smith. Asked if Smith is still the man for San Francisco, Gore said, “I think he is.”
If Smith were to sign with the Dolphins, he would be reunited with former high school teammate Reggie Bush. Smith and Bush were teammates at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, Calif.
Smith’s visit in Miami comes a day after Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn met with the Dolphins and former offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, now the Dolphins’ coach, in South Florida.
Smith orchestrated five comeback wins for the 49ers during the regular season — four of those on the road — and another in a thrilling 36-32 victory against the Saints in the playoffs.
He threw just five interceptions last season and thrived under Harbaugh after previously struggling to live up to his lofty draft status.
The 27-year-old made $4.9 million in base salary in 2011 and earned a $1 million bonus for reaching the playoffs.
