Will Alex Smith get better in 2012?

The San Francisco 49ers didn't get the man, so instead they got their man. With Peyton Manning out of the picture, the 49ers will bring back last year's starting quarterback, Alex Smith, with a new three-year contract worth roughly $8 million per season. Smith took his game to a whole new level when he led the 49ers to a 13-3 record last year. Now that Smith's back in the fold, can the 49ers expect him to take another big step forward in 2012?

To read more about why Alex Smith and the 49ers won't be better next season, plus to get access to all of our NFL coverage, sign up for ESPN Insider.

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Aaron Schatz

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• NFL analyst for ESPN Insider
• Founder of Footballoutsiders.com
• Contributes regularly to "Numbers Never Lie"