Hit the Road Jack-son. And don’t come back

A day after the San Francisco 49ers inked their second free agent wide receiver the team has severed ties with Darrell Jackson, the former Seattle Seahawk acquired last off-season for a fourth round pick.

After seven seasons in Seattle, Jackson’s year in the gold country was disappointing. He caught just 46 passes and didn’t eclipse 500 yards.

While Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson aren’t going to erase memories of Stallworth and Swann, Moss and Carter or Bruce in his younger days when he teamed with Torry Holt, the duo is an upgrade over the swill the Niners used to impersonate an offense last year.

The new guys will team with Arnaz Battle, who put up 50 receptions, 600 yards and five touchdowns despite catching passes from Alex Smith, Trent Dilfer, Shaun Hill, and Chris Weinke for 16 weeks.

Battle, Bruce and Johnson should be enough to pull some coverages away from Vernon Davis, who has been disappointing so far. Jason Hill and Ashley Lelie could also vie for time in Mike Martz’ new San Francisco offense and Frank Gore also has shown the ability to contribute in the passing game.

But in the end none of these signings will matter if play at the quarterback position doesn’t improve.

Until that happens the 49ers could split Jerry Rice to one side and flank Randy Moss to the other with Ozzie Newsome Sr. at tight end and Brian Westbrook coming out of the backfield, and it wouldn’t matter.

That likely comes down to Smith, who supposedly will compete with Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan, who was signed a few days ago when Dilfer was let go. Smith has done nothing to justify being picked number one overall in 2005. But Martz worked wonders with Kurt Warner in St. Louis. All of these variables make San Francisco, if nothing else, an interesting team to watch over the next few months.