Why the Arizona Cardinals are the perfect trade partners for Alex Smith

The Kansas City Chiefs won’t be the only team with an answer. The Cardinals could decide to roll the dice with a rookie and let him learn on the fly. They could also woo a free agent like Drew Brees if he also decides not to retire and is willing to switch time zones (assuming the Big Easy lets him get away). Decisions also have to be made for guys like Jimmy Garropolo and Kirk Cousins. But the Cardinals haven’t been “in” on any of those guys in rumors thus far and the number of quarterback needy teams still trumps the number of options in 2018.

The Chiefs might say the timeline could be longer, but there’s little reason to believe it unless Mahomes’s development is slothful like Paxton Lynch.

Enter Alex Smith. Next year at this time will be the moment to let Smith go financially speaking. The team remains far too close to the cap even after dumping Jeremy Maclin’s salary and it makes too much sense to go with Mahomes as the starter. The financial savings will allow John Dorsey, the team’s general manager, to upgrade several other slots and secure Marcus Peters long-term next offseason as well. The Chiefs might say the timeline could be longer, but there’s little reason to believe it unless Mahomes’s development is slothful like Paxton Lynch.

Smith is not the absolute perfect fit for the Cardinals. That would be Drew Brees. He’s got a bigger arm for a bigger offense and even Kirk Cousins would be worth a look, too, for Arizona. But I’m going to believe that the Cardinals aren’t going to get either guy, given the other teams involved, and that means Keim could go with Smith and a future investment to reshape his quarterback situation for 2018 and 2019.

Smith will be 34-years-old entering next season and surely has a few more seasons left. He’s a strong leader and remarkably poised and would enjoy better offensive pieces with the Cardinals than he’s ever had with the Chiefs at this point. He doesn’t have the live arm of Palmer, but he can definitely deliver when a team needs it and he would allow the Cardinals to stay in contention even as they transition for the long-term. The Chiefs have become a perennial playoff team with Smith at the helm, and Smith would likely enjoy a great season statistically with David Johnson and the running game keeping defenses honest.

For the Cardinals, the cost to get Smith would likely be a third round pick, perhaps a second round pick at most. Given the complete lack of competent options to start for the Cardinals on the current roster and the time it would take to get a rookie up and going, an early round pick for a starter with a 41-20 record through his first four seasons with the Chiefs would be a great move for Keim. It all comes down to Palmer’s future, but if his body decides it’s time to be done, the Cardinals will have to make a move on the market. The Chiefs are likely the best fit, if that’s the case.