Alex Smith rumors: Buffalo Bills could be perfect fit in 2018

According to ESPN’s Mike Sando, the Buffalo Bills would make the ideal fit for Alex Smith next year as the Kansas City Chiefs will likely move on to make way for Patrick Mahomes.

Alex Smith’s days are numbered with the Kansas City Chiefs. That much is already in the cards. Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, who are already this close to making a strong postseason run, don’t deal extra first round picks to trade up into the top 10 unless they plan on using that asset sooner than later. That asset is Patrick Mahomes and he has sat for the full year they projected that he would. The plan is in action.

That plan, however, shifts in year two, the one where Alex Smith is suddenly expendable because Mahomes will be ready to take over at quarterback and Smith’s financial hit of approximately $20 million will be a nice break from the books. Given Smith’s level of play in 2017—indeed, he’s having a career year—the veteran quarterback is likely to fetch a decent haul in response. The Chiefs have no first round pick in 2018 given the trade for Mahomes, and it’s unlikely a 34-year-old will net them one in return, but a second round selection is not out of the question.

But where could Smith go? There are several teams in the NFL with significant need at quarterback, but ESPN’s Mike Sando believes it will come down to the Buffalo Bills. Not only have the Bills and Chiefs established themselves as decent trade partners already, given the Mahomes trade as well as the Reggie Ragland deal, but Buffalo will also have several picks from deal away. They could afford to trade for a veteran like Smith to stabilize and enhance the offense while still fully implementing the youth movement they’re on.

"“Alex would be a good fit,” an insider from the AFC East said. “It’s a West Coast zone-blocking system and Alex is mobile enough to run the naked. [Sean] McDermott could promise him a decent defense. Alex fits that bill.”"

Given the rate at which the Bills seem to play the Chiefs nearly every year, it would be interesting to see if the franchises match up after such a deal. It would also be a rarity to have two franchises make multiple deals for quarterbacks year after year. That said, the Bills could make some sense if they really want to move off of Tyrod Taylor (which makes no real sense, but I’m not running the Bills).

What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Do you think Smith is gone for sure in 2018? And what do you think of the Bills as a trade partner (once again)?