Regardless of what coach Jim Harbaugh says, the 49ers were, at the very least, interested in replacing QB Alex Smith with Peyton Manning this offseason. From Smith's perspective, that had to sting. He acknowledged as much Thursday, telling Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee that the drama of the Manning sweepstakes in March was "a little awkward." "Certainly there are a lot of forms of motivation," said Smith, who signed a three-year deal with the 49ers after Manning agreed to terms with the Broncos. "I guess that's there a little bit as far as motivation."