Alex Smith trade: Colin Kaepernick says new Chiefs quarterback 'will be successful'

Alex Smith is finally going to be a starting quarterback again and Colin Kaepernick is finally going to free of questions about taking over for the veteran. Yet despite the coming distance between the two San Francisco 49ers teammates with the trade of Smith to the Chiefs, Kaepernick was nothing but polite and encouraging of Smith when asked about the deal.

Eric Branch reports that Kaepernick spoke highly, and carefully, of Smith when asked about his take on the deal. "Nothing can be finalized yet. Whether Alex is with us or he is somewhere else next season, he has been a great teammate, a great friend, (and) a great mentor. Anywhere he goes - or if he is still with us - he is going to be successful," said Kaepernick on the NFL Network.

Smith was recently traded in a deal to the Kansas City Chiefs for two draft picks, although nothing is official until deals can be made on March 12. The move gives him the chance to start once again after losing the job to Kaepernick and the Chiefs heavy investment of a second round choice and conditional pick in 2014 show that the job will be handed to him from the first day.

More in the NFL:

• NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine and trade edition

• Trade rumors: Where's Darrelle Revis headed?

• 10 takeaways from the NFL Combine

• The hardest thing to do in sports

• NFL Combine's biggest winners and losers

• The best (and we mean worst) quotes from the Combine