Grading Chiefs GM John Dorsey in His First Off Season Part 1

Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) reacts after throwing a pass for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 56-31. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Smith, QB

Acquired via trade with the San Francisco 49ers

Compensation: 2013 second-round pick, 2014 second-round pick

Grade: A

We will start with the biggest news, first. Just after Super Bowl XLVII, rumors started to heat that the former 49ers starter Smith was on his way out of the city by the bay. There was a lot of speculation where he would be headed, which included the Cleveland Browns, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Arizona Cardinals and of course, the Chiefs.

On February 27, the official news broke that the Chiefs and 49ers had come to terms on a trade that would send Smith to Kansas City. However, details of the trade couldn’t be made public and the deal couldn’t be finalized until the league year ended.

The biggest knock most Smith detractors had on the trade was the Chiefs had paid too much for him. Many said they’d be willing to give up one second-round pick or even a second-round and a sixth or seventh-round but felt the compensation was too steep. The other “knock” of course was the moniker of “game manager” attached to Smith.

It took the first half of the regular season for Smith to click with the offense, and his receivers with Pro Football Focus — who grades a player on every play of the season — a score of -6.1. However, during the second half of the season, Smith and the Chiefs became an offensive powerhouse with Smith only being graded negatively in one game: the sloppy Week 16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

In all, Smith had a career year with 3,313 yards in passing, 23 touchdowns to just seven interceptions and leading the Chiefs to a playoff appearance.

In looking at other quarterbacks who were available either through free agency or the draft last year — read: Geno Smith, E.J. Manuel, Mike Glennon, etc. — it would appear Dorsey made the right choice.