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."
Originally Posted by ptlyon:
God I hope this is true. But I can't believe it until I see it.
If Andy won't let loose of the reins with a hand picked veteran QB, how will he do it with a 2nd year guy?
We're all in this together, we see the possibility of something great. I just don't know if Reid can get out of his own way to let it happen.
Reid is not as "to blame" as many here think. If you have a QB who sharts of the pants and can not execute, you will of course look like a shitty coach with a shitty offense.
Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate:
Reid is not as "to blame" as many here think. If you have a QB who sharts of the pants and can not execute, you will of course look like a shitty coach with a shitty offense.
Without Brady Belicheat doesn't look as good as he does now.
Without Big Ben Tomlin is gone long ago.
Without Brees Payton is gone long ago.
If they hadn't drafted Watson O'Brien would have been fired this year.
I'd tend to lean toward Smith limiting Reid more than Reid limiting Smith.
He ain't a perfect coach, but if Mahomes is a hit I have a feeling our collective opinion of Reid will improve a ton. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bewbies:
Without Brady Belicheat doesn't look as good as he does now.
Without Big Ben Tomlin is gone long ago.
Without Brees Payton is gone long ago.
If they hadn't drafted Watson O'Brien would have been fired this year.
I'd tend to lean toward Smith limiting Reid more than Reid limiting Smith.
He ain't a perfect coach, but if Mahomes is a hit I have a feeling our collective opinion of Reid will improve a ton.
Reid limited alex and the offense more so by dumbass situational play calls. Andy ruined the rhythm of the offense and called horizontal plays at the worst times. Not to meantion gadget plays [Reply]
Originally Posted by Safecamp:
Reid limited alex and the offense more so by dumbass situational play calls. Andy ruined the rhythm of the offense and called horizontal plays at the worst times. Not to meantion gadget plays
There's surely some of that too.
But I'd be willing to bet a lot there's way more rhythm that is ruined from Smith not making the right read, or more likely looking down and taking off when he had a clean pocket. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bewbies:
Without Brady Belicheat doesn't look as good as he does now.
Without Big Ben Tomlin is gone long ago.
Without Brees Payton is gone long ago.
If they hadn't drafted Watson O'Brien would have been fired this year.
I'd tend to lean toward Smith limiting Reid more than Reid limiting Smith.
He ain't a perfect coach, but if Mahomes is a hit I have a feeling our collective opinion of Reid will improve a ton.
Well shit after 2 decades you would hope to god he could improve on the glaring flaws that plague him year after year, decade after decade. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bewbies:
Without Brady Belicheat doesn't look as good as he does now.
Without Big Ben Tomlin is gone long ago.
Without Brees Payton is gone long ago.
If they hadn't drafted Watson O'Brien would have been fired this year.
I'd tend to lean toward Smith limiting Reid more than Reid limiting Smith.
He ain't a perfect coach, but if Mahomes is a hit I have a feeling our collective opinion of Reid will improve a ton.
except Reid had the same problems in Philly as he does here, regardless of QB [Reply]
Andy Reid has steadily won, 9th all time among HCs in NFL history. And it's not like he's been Marvin Lewis in the playoffs. He's won a lot there too, just not the big one. Yet.
All of this despite never having what I would consider to be a truly spectacular talent at QB. [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
Andy Reid has steadily won, 9th all time among HCs in NFL history. And it's not like he's been Marvin Lewis in the playoffs. He's won a lot there too, just not the big one. Yet.
All of this despite never having what I would consider to be a truly spectacular talent at QB.
Hard to pull off giving the HC credit for wins... under these circumstances... wouldn't you say? [Reply]
