The 49ers are struggling, again, to get the ball to big-money free-agent receiver Torrey Smith. Sunday’s effort included an interception on a deep pass to Smith, who was wide open.
Two days later, the guy who threw the ball fielded a question about the would-be receiver’s apparent frustrations.
“Torrey and I are fine,” quarterback Blaine Gabbert told reporters on Tuesday. “It was one play. We both wanted to hit on it. It was a big play in that football game and it didn’t turn out. The past is the past. We’ve moved on from that. We’re both on the same page on what we see in that route and we’re going to hit that moving forward. We were both frustrated at the time. That happens. We’re competitive guys. I don’t want to throw a pick there. I’d much rather throw a 65-yard touchdown. Trust me. We’ve just got to move forward and you learn from that experience.”
It’s one thing to say it, quite another to do it. Via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, Smith said Monday that he doesn’t believe he’s headed for the same overall frustrations as he experienced last year “[b]ecause it can’t be any worse than last year.”
Last year, Smith had 33 catches for the season, and only nine through four games. This year, like last year, Smith has nine catches through four games.
For now, Smith sees the glass as half full.
“I look at it, I’m only 27 years old, I’m young, I’m still very fast. I’m still getting open,” Smith said. “I’ve just got to make plays when the ball comes my way, and I will.”
The question is how often the ball will come his way, and whether it will be reasonably catchable. The deeper question is whether at some point he’ll want someone else to be throwing it.