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."
Lol at all the people thinking there is a chance that Alex stays. He's not. Anything contrary that you hear is being put out on purpose to give the Chiefs more leverage in a potential trade. [Reply]
Originally Posted by jaa1025:
Lol at all the people thinking there is a chance that Alex stays. He's not. Anything contrary that you hear is being put out on purpose to give the Chiefs more leverage in a potential trade.
Andy Reid is loyal to a fault. If we don't get a good return there's a very real possibility he's a Chief in 2018. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
Andy Reid is loyal to a fault. If we don't get a good return there's a very real possibility he's a Chief in 2018.
This is simply false.
Reid wasn't "loyal to a fault" when he traded Kevin Kolb for a 2nd round pick or when he traded Donovan McNabb for a 2nd round pick or when he traded AJ Feeley for a 2nd round pick.
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
This is simply false.
Reid wasn't "loyal to a fault" when he traded Kevin Kolb for a 2nd round pick or when he traded Donovan McNabb for a 2nd round pick or when he traded AJ Feeley for a 2nd round pick.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Sorry, dude, but with the drafting of Mahomes, the team has shown they're going to TRY to run themselves like a real franchise capable of challenging for and perhaps even winning a championship one day.
Just because they lost the Titans game the way they lost their other playoff games doesn't mean we should assume they're going to make a monumentally bone-headed decision, particularly since Veach really needs to take the mistakes Dorsey made and show that he's going to be a different GM by succeeding in those areas. Cap management is the single biggest area for improvement, and Veach REALLY loves Mahomes, perhaps even more than Dorsey did.
We gotta support the team through the Mahomes process as long as the team sees it through. Bringing back Alex to start another season will destroy that confidence I have in them, but for now, I think it's safe to say they'll get a deal done one way or another.
SNR on-point. The old ways are dead, at least on the offensive front. I have enough faith in Mahomes to see the entire TEAM jumping to the next level based solely upon what Pat is getting ready to bring to the field and locker room.
The Pats are not loaded with exceptional players but what they DO have is QB who inspires confidence as well as a head coach that knows how to coach and to properly motivate.
Assuming KC does the sane, correct, and rational thing by handing the keys to PMII, you can expect to see an ENTIRELY different squad by mid season 2018. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mile High Mania:
Jags should get a Tyrod Taylor type... continue to build on what they have, that team can be solid for a few years.
Taylor would be perfect for them.
Can make plays with his feet, doesn't turn the ball over, will come dirt cheap... [Reply]
So Mellinger says 95% chance Alex will be traded. That is not what Terez seems to think. Mellinger is probably on the right track. There is a very logical salary cap reason to trade Alex. Chiefs need some cap relief and a trade would help a lot. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DRM08:
So Mellinger says 95% chance Alex will be traded. That is not what Terez seems to think. Mellinger is probably on the right track. There is a very logical salary cap reason to trade Alex. Chiefs need some cap relief and a trade would help a lot.
Our defense needs multiple players, you could get two really really good players for what trading Alex would save you. It really doesn't matter what he gets in return you have to unload him and help that defense out. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TambaBerry:
Our defense needs multiple players, you could get two really really good players for what trading Alex would save you. It really doesn't matter what he gets in return you have to unload him and help that defense out.
Not to mention how it will help the offense out [Reply]
Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate:
SNR on-point. The old ways are dead, at least on the offensive front. I have enough faith in Mahomes to see the entire TEAM jumping to the next level based solely upon what Pat is getting ready to bring to the field and locker room.
The Pats are not loaded with exceptional players but what they DO have is QB who inspires confidence as well as a head coach that knows how to coach and to properly motivate.
Assuming KC does the sane, correct, and rational thing by handing the keys to PMII, you can expect to see an ENTIRELY different squad by mid season 2018.
I dig it! We saw an entirely different squad by mid season, the other way, this past season...:-) [Reply]
