Niners Acquire Veteran QB

On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns dealt veteran quarterback Trent Dilfer to the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Ken Dorsey and a seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft. The move gives the 49ers a mentor for last year's No.1 overall pick, Alex Smith out of Utah. It also gives them some short-term insurance in the case that Smith doesn't improve on a horrific 2005 season.

"Trent was a player we had interest in last season," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said in a statement released to the press. "We were looking for a veteran quarterback with experience that could help mentor Alex Smith. Trent fits the bill on both counts and we are excited to have him with the 49ers."

Although he showed some improvement late in the 2005 season, Smith was a disappointment even as a rookie. He completed just over 50% of his passes and tossed just one touchdown pass all season. In the nine contests he appeared, he threw 11 interceptions and fumbled twice, and he posted a passer rating of just 40.8.