Plus, the Chiefs would still have millions of dollars in dead money from Smith’s contract to account for even if they cut or traded him, PLUS pay Romo’s huge salary, PLUS likely have to keep Nick Foles and his 10 million dollar salary as insurance because of Romo’s injury issues. With that much money wrapped up in quarterbacks you can kiss both Eric Berry and Dontari Poe goodbye. I just don’t get it. It’s not happening people. I don’t care if some ESPN talking head tweets that it should. It’s a stupid idea.
The only other veteran suggestion that I’ve heard in terms of replacing Smith is Tyrod Taylor. While I would choose Taylor in KC over Romo hands down, I still don’t think its enough of an upgrade (if at all) that it makes sense. Here are the combined passing numbers of both Taylor and Smith over the past two seasons.
Alex Smith: 66.2% completions, 225.4 yards/game, 7.3 yards/attempt, 35 TDs, 15 INTs
Tyrod Taylor: 62.6% completions, 208.9 yards/game, 7.4 yards/attempt, 37 TDs, 12 INTs
So what you’re telling me is that we should get rid of the guy with the top stat line and then pay the guy with the bottom stat line in addition to the dead money we’re on the line for with the first guy? It just doesn’t make sense to me. I guess you can hope that Andy Reid can get better out of the 27-year-old Taylor, but this feels like change just for the sake of change to me.
If Taylor is such an upgrade why does Buffalo seem willing to just let him walk despite the fact that they have no serviceable replacement for him on their roster? Plus, Alex Smith now knows Reid’s offense inside and out. Even if Taylor is slightly better talent wise his inexperience in Reid’s system likely negates that physical edge, at least in 2017.
The bottom line is I just don’t see a clear veteran upgrade that makes sense for this Chiefs team.
So what should KC do?