Chiefs trade rumors: Alex Smith called best quarterback on open market
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly willing to trade Alex Smith this offseason and Ian Rapoport says the trade returns could be ideal for the Chiefs.
The word is now officially out: the Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly willing to deal Alex Smith on the open market when their season is over. That is, unless they end up winning a Super Bowl, according to Ian Rapoport.
The Chiefs are likely letting the rest of the NFL know to prepare their trade offers in the instance that they make their starting quarterback available on the open market. Rapoport notes that the Chiefs are not only open to it but that the actual returns on the trade could actually be better than what they traded for Smith in the first place.
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The Chiefs gave up two second-round picks to the San Francisco 49ers during the spring of 2013 in John Dorsey’s first year as general manager for the Chiefs. Now, Dorsey is the Cleveland Browns GM and knows exactly what Smith could bring to the franchise, the sort of stability at the game’s most important position to help bring a perennial cellar-dweller out of the doldrums of the AFC North.
In addition, there are several other teams who will be looking for a new starting quarterback. Given the question marks surrounding the many rookies available in this year’s draft—from Josh Rosen and Josh Allen to Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield—a team might want to avoid a rookie mistake altogether by grabbing a veteran who just put up his best season yet.
If Smith can show the same downfield ability in the playoffs (and even enjoy some success in the process) as he did in the regular season, then Rapoport’s notion that the Chiefs could enjoy a solid return on Smith in a potential trade is on point. That said, it’s personally hard to imagine the Chiefs really getting two impact draft picks (as in two second-round choices) for a quarterback who turns 34 soon. Then again maybe the market is set up to appreciate a quarterback that much.