I think the Niners should re-sign Alex Smith after this season. That probably makes many of you wince, so give me a chance.

No, Smith is not a great quarterback, but neither is J.T. O’Sullivan or anyone else the 49ers have. At the beginning of this season, it was assumed JTO was superior to Smith, but recent events make that questionable. JTO is a jittery, careless QB, especially when it matters and he has minimum arm strength And that’s very bad.

Smith never was as nervous or irresponsible as JTO. That’s obvious. He was improving until he hurt his shoulder and he never has recovered fully. Maybe he never will.

So, here’s the deal. Failing anything better than Smith, the Niners should sign him for a low salary — maybe even the minimum — and let him compete for the job. What do they have to lose?

— Lowell