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 jjchieffan:
So I guess that you would rather be the Browns? Losing seasons for how many years in a row? No, winning seasons aren't the ultimate goal. But it sure beats constantly watching your team lose. I have said this many times. Smith did exactly what we brought him here for. He put this team in the playoffs year after. It took five years for our GM to find the right guy to lead this team to the next level. I would have preferred it happen sooner. But Mahomes may just be the best quarterback to come out the last 5 years. If he is, then every minute with Smith as QB was worth it because it's what got us to that point. If we had drafted another lesser quarterback in the past couple of years, no way would we have grabbed Mahomes.
Exactly
You're echoing my previous thoughts and posts to a T... without Smith holding things down and retaining the confidence of Reid and co, we'd have drafted some ****ing bum who would've kept us from going after Money
Things have a way of working out, it might not be in the time frame everyone wants... but in my estimation, our acquisition and subsequent 5 year retention of Smith is what put us in the position to go after Mahomes
So not only did Smith keep this ship afloat and get it moving in the right direction... he was responsible for us being able to get the most exciting QB of the last 10-20 years
As Garth Brooks once opined... sometimes Gods greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers [Reply]
You're echoing my previous thoughts and posts to a T... without Smith holding things down and retaining the confidence of Reid and co, we'd have drafted some ****ing bum who would've kept us from going after Money
Things have a way of working out, it might not be in the time frame everyone wants... but in my estimation, our acquisition and subsequent retention of Smith is what put us in the position to go after Mahomes
So not only did Smith keep this ship afloat and get it moving in the right direction... he was responsible for us being able to get the most exciting QB of the last 10-20 years
As Garth Brooks once opined... sometimes Gods greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers
I still remember the rumors that we were going to take Manziel and that we tried to trade up for Paxton Lynch.. now I never wanted Lynch, but Manziel was very enticing to me.
As you both mentioned though, it's worked out in the best way possible so far. Thankful for the path that has been taken. [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
I still remember the rumors that we were going to take Manziel and that we tried to trade up for Paxton Lynch.. now I never wanted Lynch, but Manziel was very enticing to me.
As you both mentioned though, it's worked out in the best way possible so far. Thankful for the path that has been taken.
We were going to take Derek Carr. Chris Mortenson tweeted that and then at the pro bowl Andy told Carr “we were going to take you if we didn’t have Alex.” [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
We were going to take Derek Carr. Chris Mortenson tweeted that and then at the pro bowl Andy told Carr “we were going to take you if we didn’t have Alex.”
Yeah the timing on that deal was really bad because it was right before Smith's extension. I suppose had we taken Carr, Smith only plays for that one last year and then moves on.
Carr probably would have been really good here. Hell, he'll probably turn it around decently with Gruden, at least in the short term. [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
I still remember the rumors that we were going to take Manziel and that we tried to trade up for Paxton Lynch.. now I never wanted Lynch, but Manziel was very enticing to me.
As you both mentioned though, it's worked out in the best way possible so far. Thankful for the path that has been taken.
Lawd have mercy, if any of that had come true just imagine where we'd be now... its been a sickeningly long wait, but we're now in the catbird seat, hallelujah
Originally Posted by Red Dawg:
If the market is strong then why is he still here?
Everyone is still assessing their needs and formulating their strategies
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
How are you still trying to push this?
NOT A CHANCE IN HELL. Too much to gain from a trade. They'll pay some backup $3-4M per year at most, and take the $15M or so in cap space to go along with the pick(s).
NOT TRYING TO SIDE WITH tiger AT ALL.
As Terez Paylor said if the Chiefs are serious about winning a SB just any ole backup will not due and it is going to cost.
To save that $17M we will have $3.6M in dead cap space. Now to sign a decent backup QB will cost around $6M to 9M according to Paylor. Those numbers will leave us with around $8M to $11M in cap space from that one move. That is a very nice amount.
If the Chiefs do not get what they want in an offer they may very well try to rework Smiths contract. Doubtful but it is possible. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Roundup:
NOT TRYING TO SIDE WITH tiger AT ALL.
As Terez Paylor said if the Chiefs are serious about winning a SB just any ole backup will not due and it is going to cost.
To save that $17M we will have $3.6M in dead cap space. Now to sign a decent backup QB will cost around $6M to 9M according to Paylor. Those numbers will leave us with around $8M to $11M in cap space from that one move. That is a very nice amount.
If the Chiefs do not get what they want in an offer they may very well try to rework Smiths contract. Doubtful but it is possible.
JMO, but I think he's gotta go regardless. Leaving him around as the backup will only stir up controversy and conversation as soon as Patrick makes a mistake, which is inevitable.
I'd rather just pay a career backup who will know his role and be ready if he's called upon. [Reply]
