SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Alex Smith believes he isn't finished with the San Francisco 49ers, and he seems willing to take a big pay cut to prove it.

After two months of silence on his future, the former No. 1 draft pick expressed his eagerness today to stay with the 49ers next season, even if it means restructuring his contract.

"I came here to be a great player," Smith said. "Obviously, I've had some setbacks and things have gotten in my way, and I'm working my way around them. I want to get back out here, and that's something that really inspires me. I think it's easy to look at some alternative choices ... but I really feel the right thing to do is to do it the right way."

Former San Francisco coach Mike Nolan chose the Utah quarterback with the top pick in 2005 — and then pretty much ruined him during four tumultuous seasons of injuries and inconsistency amid a revolving cast of teammates and offensive coordinators.

Smith, who has missed this season on injured reserve with shoulder woes, realizes his lucrative contract would have to be altered to prevent the 49ers (5-9) from being forced to cut him for salary-cap purposes. He said he's "absolutely" willing to do so.

"It'll be difficult, (but) I think it is something that gets me going," Smith added. "You start to get that chip on your shoulder, trying to prove everybody wrong."

Smith took every snap of his second NFL season in 2006, but his career went sideways when he separated his shoulder on a sack by Seattle's Rocky Bernard in September 2007. He tried to return too soon from the injury, and his poor play caused a schism between the quarterback and Nolan.

While he won't overtly blame Nolan for his struggles, Smith probably doesn't miss the fired coach, who has repeatedly found subtle ways to criticize Smith. The quarterback has no problems with Mike Singletary, formerly Nolan's right-hand man, who took over the club in late October and could return next season.

"I think Coach Singletary has done a great job from the sense of eliminating gray," Smith said. "The players have a better understanding of what they're being asked (to do) and what they're responsible for, and what's expected of them. I think in that sense, there's less gray. He's made it more black and white."

Smith's career numbers — 4,679 yards passing in 32 games, along with 19 touchdown passes and 31 interceptions — are nothing special, but he's still just 24. Smith also threw to one of the NFL's worst groups of receivers in each of his three campaigns, missing out of this year's arrival of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson alongside emerging youngsters Jason Hill and Josh Morgan.

Smith injured his shoulder again during training camp this year, undergoing his latest surgery in late October. He hasn't begun throwing the ball again, but plans to do so in January after several months of careful rehabilitation.

Rather than leave the Bay Area for rehab, as many injured players often do, Smith stayed in town and participated in regular study sessions with quarterbacks Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan and Jamie Martin. He has attended meetings and games throughout the season, trying to remain a part of the team during its sixth consecutive losing season.

Smith and Hill are good friends who attended a San Jose Sharks game together last week, and he's pleased by Hill's success as the 49ers' starter during the second half of this season. Smith doesn't know what Hill's accomplishments will mean for his chances to stick around — and he also realizes there's no guarantee the 49ers want him back, although general manager Scot McCloughan has been unwavering in his support for Smith.

"Obviously, I've got some more time on my hands now and I'm left to think about things," Smith said. "It's all speculation at this point. I've tried to stay focused on doing what I can, and that's getting healthy. That time will come soon enough when I have to deal with that stuff."

AWARD SEASON

The 49ers handed out their achievement awards Wednesday, and newcomers dominated the results.

Receiver Isaac Bruce won the Len Eshmont Award, chosen by his fellow 49ers as the most inspirational and courageous player, while defensive end Justin Smith won the Bill Walsh Award as the coaches' choice for the team's most valuable player. Linebacker Takeo Spikes won the Hazeltine/Iron Man Award, and receiver Dominique Zeigler won the Thomas Herrion Award for young players.

Center Eric Heitmann rounded out the honors with the Bobb McKittrick Award for the third consecutive year.

Bruce, the taciturn receiver who leads the club with 52 catches for 766 yards and six touchdowns, was uncharacteristically effusive about the honor.

"That's the biggest thing, when your peers vote you for anything, because they're around you every day," Bruce said.

Smith said he was honored and humbled by the coaches' award. He has been a consistent, versatile defender in his first season with San Francisco since signing as a free agent from Cincinnati.

"I think we have a lot of stuff to build on, especially some of the things we've been doing defensively in the past five or six weeks," Smith said. "It's a great group of guys, probably one of the easiest locker rooms I've been in to get along with people. ... The main thing is the way this team has kept fighting when it could have went either way. If we get a few more pieces here and there, and with the right coaches in place, I think we can go a long way."

INJURY UPDATE

Frank Gore was among five players who sat out of Wednesday's practice, and coach Mike Singletary doesn't know whether his star running back will recover from his sprained left ankle in time to play in Sunday's game at St. Louis.

Gore, who missed last week's game at Miami, is 22 yards shy of completing his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, which would be a franchise record.

Safety Michael Lewis (abdomen), RT Adam Snyder (ankle) and LB Ahmad Brooks (back) also sat out of Wednesday's workouts in frigid Santa Clara, and veteran cornerback Walt Harris took his usual Wednesday off to rest.

Kick returner Allen Rossum (ankle) and LT Joe Staley (ankle) participated fully in practice despite their nagging injuries, and both are expected to play against the Rams.