Marvel Smith Signs With 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers made a pair of moves on Friday afternoon in regards to their offensive tackle position. After releasing veteran Jonas Jennings, the team agreed to a two-year deal with free agent Marvel Smith, in what amounts to the swapping of one injured tackle for another.

According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Smith's deal is filled with incentives in the event his season is cut short by injuries, which has been the case in each of the past two years.

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Originally a second-round pick by the Steelers back in 2000, Smith was a fixture on Pittsburgh's offensive line for the first six years of his career, emerging as a top-tier tackle. The past two seasons, however, his career has been derailed by back injuries, having played in just 17 of a possible 32 regular season games. He has experience at left and right tackle in his career, and went to the Pro Bowl in 2004.

Barrows speculates Smith's addition could alter the team's strategy entering next month's draft where the 49ers hold the No. 10 overall pick.

Smith's signing also gives the team more wiggle room in next month's draft. Without a free-agent addition at tackle, the 49ers were almost certain to take one - Ole Miss's Michael Oher, Alabama's Andre Smith? - with the No. 10 pick. They still could do so, but with Marvel Smith, Sims and Snyder on the roster, they now have the leeway to go in a different direction.

I'm not sure how much leeway Smith's addition gives them, and I'm not sure it's enough to make them pass on a top tackle should one happen to be available when their pick comes up. The Steelers didn't seem all that interested in keeping Smith, seeing as how they quickly moved on franchising Max Starks and re-signing Willie Colon. Given Smith's age and recent injury history, this shouldn't be enough of a signing to divert the 49ers' draft strategy.

As for Jennings, he signed with the 49ers prior to the 2005 season and appeared in just 23 games due to multiple injuries.