Market for Alex Smith will be strong, Ian Rapoport says
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network thinks the Chiefs could get a solid trade haul in return for Alex Smith.
Kirk Larrabee - 3 hours ago 0
The Kansas City Chiefs should have no problem finding a trade partner for Alex Smith this offseason and could come away with a strong haul in return, according to insider Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Rapoport, who reported over the weekend the Chiefs would be listening to offers for Smith this offseason, was a guest on The Day Shift on 610 Sports Radio Kansas City Monday, where he was asked about the level of interest in Alex Smith and whether or not the Chiefs will be able to trade him.
"A lot," Rapoport said. "A lot, and yes."
Smith is coming off his best statistical season of his career as he threw for 4,042 yards in 2017 with 26 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 104.7 passer rating. Rapoport says it's that performance along with what Smith can bring to a team's quarterback room that makes him such a hot commodity.
"He was number one in the NFL in passer rating," Rapoport said. "He is a great person, so if you trade for him and then draft a quarterback high, you will get someone who's going to help him. All you need to do is ask Patrick Mahomes. It's actually an amazing thing what a great person Alex Smith is because he's dealt with a lot of crap in his career despite mostly awesome and has come out the other side of it."
There have been several teams speculated to be good fits for Smith, with different situations among each of them. There's the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills, playoff teams that are still fighting quarterback woes; there's the Arizona Cardinals, a team whose starting quarterback, Carson Palmer, just retired, but still has enough talent to be competitive next season; and there's a team like the Cleveland Browns, who might be interested in acquiring Smith to not just help the team start winning again but to be a mentor to a quarterback they might select in the draft.
The latter situation might not seem like an ideal one to many quarterbacks, but Smith has done it before, and Rapoport thinks he might not have a problem doing it again.
"If I was a franchise quarterback, would I really want to help the guy who is brought in to replace me? I don't know," Rapoport said. "For some ridiculous reason, Alex Smith has done it several times, and he's continued to be a great guy. He's going to end up benefiting from all this because first of all, he's probably going to wind up being traded somewhere great. Second of all, I think his legacy will sort of live on and people will know what a good person he is."
Trading Smith would free up $17 million in cap space for the Chiefs, a much-needed amount for a team currently projected to be over the cap next year, and would also allow them to replenish some of the draft picks they traded away in multiple trades in recent months. It cost a 2013 second round pick and a 2014 conditional pick (which turned out to be another second round pick) for the Chiefs to acquire Smith from the San Francisco 49ers in 2013, and Rapoport thinks the Chiefs could get even more in return for Smith than that.
"I think they might do better this time," Rapoport said. "He is a hot commodity, and they are in unbelievable position."
I will watch zero football at all next year if Alex Smith is still the QB of this team. The only way I will be tempted to tune back in is if he goes down with a season ending injury and Mahomes takes the reins permanently. Yes, it has to be a season ending injury. Any case where the team views it still as Alex's job is unacceptable. So if Alex goes down for two games, I'm not watching Mahomes play just so the team can take it away and give the job back to Alex. That doesn't hold my interest at all.
It's no longer Alex's team. He lost it. It's time for him to leave. Get the fuck off the team, Alex. [Reply]
If they do bring Alex back, Andy needs to give Mahomes a fair shot in training camp. In 2017 there was no fair competition. He outright named Alex the starter without even giving Mahomes a chance to do anything. That's not right. The kid can play his ass off. Give him a chance. [Reply]
The server for this place will be on constant shut down for weeks if/when Smith comes back next season.
I am sure the Chiefs are looking at $3.6M in dead money and $6-7M to get a good backup in FA and looking for other places that they can recoup that +/- $7M in cap space if they don't get a very nice return in a trade. I bet they want a 1st or a 2cd plus or they will keep Smith. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
If the guy needs 2 years on the bench before he's ready to start, he ain't gonna be a franchise QB.
Yeah, blah blah Rogers did it. Fine.
The guys who have sat that long and them went on to be franchise guys are the outliers.
He sat for a year, learned the ropes. It's time to take the ****ing training wheels off and sink or swim.
I agree. If Andy keeps Alex, I think it’s because he feels like he has to have a good year and win a playoff game because his seat would be getting warm.
Fortunately I don’t think that’s the case here. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Roundup:
The server for this place will be on constant shut down for weeks if/when Smith comes back next season.
I am sure the Chiefs are looking at $3.6M in dead money and $6-7M to get a good backup in FA and looking for other places that they can recoup that +/- $7M in cap space if they don't get a very nice return in a trade. I bet they want a 1st or a 2cd plus or they will keep Smith.
It's been mentioned a little but if they do trade Smith they will need to find a backup QB. [Reply]
Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan:
What if he is ready to be a franchise QB and the Chiefs just don't take him off the leash?
The reason Rodgers sat was because somebody held him back. If the Chiefs don't start Mahomes that doesn't necessarily mean anything about his talent. They could very well just be making the wrong decision in holding him back.
Correlation does not always mean causation.
What reason would they have for holding him back at this point? [Reply]
There is no way that Alex is a Chief next year. He solves 2 very important issues with being traded.
1) Draft picks. The Chiefs have 4 next year which is horrible. He bring back at least a 2nd round pick but probably a 2nd and 3rd/4th rounder.
2) Cap Space. The Chiefs are in a big bind cap wise but it's very easily fixed. Trading Smith will get them out of cap hell and add a few more easy cuts then they will have a big surplus.
No way is he a Chief next year.
Now...it is the Chiefs and a very Chief thing to do to spite their fanbase would be to Trade Mahomes for the Browns 1st and 4th pick and restructure and extend Alex Smith. I would cease being a Chiefs fan at this point. [Reply]
Originally Posted by jaa1025:
There is no way that Alex is a Chief next year. He solves 2 very important issues with being traded.
1) Draft picks. The Chiefs have 4 next year which is horrible. He bring back at least a 2nd round pick but probably a 2nd and 3rd/4th rounder.
2) Cap Space. The Chiefs are in a big bind cap wise but it's very easily fixed. Trading Smith will get them out of cap hell and add a few more easy cuts then they will have a big surplus.
No way is he a Chief next year.
Now...it is the Chiefs and a very Chief thing to do to spite their fanbase would be to Trade Mahomes for the Browns 1st and 4th pick and restructure and extend Alex Smith. I would cease being a Chiefs fan at this point.
I cease being a Chiefs fan if Alex is brought back until he is gone. [Reply]
I don't see how Smith can be back. If you can't get more than a 3rd round pick, well that's his value. You take it and clear the cap space.
If Alex would stay, Mahomes would surely have a chance to beat him out in camp and if Smith gets beaten out, that is not good for his next contract so staying is probably not the best thing for Smith either.
The only way that Smith would be back is if Reid thinks Mahomes is not ready and frankly Id be shocked if it was the case, especially that you are surrounding him with arguably an all star offense. Just make sure you are giving him the best Oline you can give him. So maybe a new LG and better depth. A new WR maybe but for a QB starting for the first time I think the Oline is the most important. [Reply]