Moving on from Alex Smith: Easier said than done
By Ben Almquist
So what to do?
Alex Smith is likely to remain the starter for the rest of 2015, much to the chagrin of many Chiefs fans. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Well, Chiefs fans, you’re not going to like this, but for right now the best plan of action is to stick with Alex Smith for the time being. While it is easy for fans to say that there are plenty of options, that is not the reality of the situation. Especially not for those who actually have their financial futures invested in this organization. Alex Smith is the quarterback, and is likely to remain so unless Aaron Murray can finally prove something.
However, looking beyond 2015, the Chiefs do have options moving forward. Most notably, their options are Aaron Murray, Tyler Bray, and what could be a very early first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Bray is an interesting option there because the Chiefs have already extended his contract through 2017 which is an odd investment to make in an Undrafted Free Agent who has yet to play in a regular season game.
As for the 2015 NFL Draft, we are starting to see a familiar tune as there simply do not appear to be any clear cut choices at the quarterback position. A class that was heavily hyped leading into this year has fallen flat for the most part. For me, only Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook has stood out as a legitimate NFL quarterback prospect.
All of that puts the Chiefs in a very tricky spot when it comes to replacing Alex Smith. While many fans would like to see a change just for the sake of a change, that’s not how professional teams work. Dorsey and Reid (or any other GM and Head Coach combo) will not simply put someone else out there unless they have some level of confidence that it will result in success. And that success is not limited to the here and now for NFL decision makers. They have to consider next week, next month, and next season with all of their decisions.
And that’s why we are stuck with Alex Smith for the time being.