How will Alex Smith fare with the Washington Redskins?

Alex Smith is coming into a situation that is quite similar to the place he just left. Find out here all the details of Mr. Smith’s trip to Washington.

I wanted to start by saying I am thoroughly impressed with how Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach handled this situation.

Starting quarterback Alex Smith got sent to a team that can compete with a long-term deal. The Kansas City Chiefs got a young stud in cornerback Kendall Fuller at a position of need, and another potential young stud with a 3rd round choice in the 2018 NFL Draft.

I appreciate all that Smith was able to do with this franchise, including winning our first playoff game since Joe Montana was in the lineup. I wish him nothing but the best in Washington, and hope to potentially see him in a Patrick Mahomes vs. Alex Smith matchup when the AFC West is slated to face the NFC East in 2021.

But will Smith last that long in D.C.? What can we expect when Mr. Smith goes to Washington? Well let’s find out.

Reunion with Vernon Davis

Coming to Washington, Smith with reunite with one of his favorite safety blankets from the past. For the first 7 years of Vernon Davis’s career, he had mostly Smith throwing him the ball back during his days with the San Francisco 49ers.

During their time together Vernon Davis managed over 4,000 yards on over 500 receptions and 40 touchdowns. Smith as a (sometimes when they felt like it) starter amassed over 13,000 yards and 80 touchdowns.

Davis has quietly been playing very well over his last two years with Washington. Jordan Reed is slated to return in 2018, healthy and ready to return to the #1 TE spot, but expect Smith to be on the lookout for Davis whenever he’s on the field.

Best supporting cast he’s ever had?

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For most of Smith’s career in San Francisco he was surrounded by subpar talent on offense outside of notable running back Frank Gore and Davis. Coming to Kansas City, his situation wasn’t significantly better starting off with Dwayne Bowe as his top receiver. By the time Smith was traded he had perhaps his best with Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce, and a solid offensive line supporting him.

Now in Washington Smith will have an old friend in Vernon Davis, along with guys like Jordan Reed, Josh Doctson, and Chris Thompson. Not to mention he’ll have a line that ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in both run blocking and pass blocking just a year ago.

It’s also worth noting that Smith won’t have to learn an entirely different offensive scheme. Jay Gruden, head coach and offensive coordinator, plays with the West Coast offense with similar calls to what you might see from Andy Reid. With an offense slated around getting the ball into the hands of his playmaking tight ends and running backs, Smith should feel right at home.

Statistical projection?

2017 was by far Smith’s best season statistically, ending the season as the NFL’s leader in quarterback rating (104.7). Over his entire career in K.C., Smith averaged 3,707 yards, 65.1% completion percentage, 21 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions. All stats based on a per 16 game average.

During Kirk Cousins’s three years as the bonafide starter in Washington he averaged 4,392 yards, 67% completion percentage, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Cousins also averaged 50 more attempts per season than Smith, which is due mostly in part to the playcalling differences between K.C. and Washington.

Should Smith average the same number of attempts his stats would look something like 4,055 yds, 23 TDs, and 8 INTs. Compare that to his most recent season in KC of 4,042 yds, 67.5%, 26 TDs, and 5 INTs and Smith may be in line to shatter his personal bests.

Prediction: 4,300 yards, 65%, 28 TDs, and 8 INTs

Wrap-up

Alex Smith has an argument for being one of the top 3 QBs in Chiefs history, and considering Washington’s history, he could end up there as well. There’s no doubt Smith has always been a very talented quarterback, but hasn’t always been in the best circumstances. From changing offensive coordinators every season in San Fran to defenses collapsing in the 2nd half of playoff games, the ball hasn’t always rolled Smith’s way.

This will likely be his last chance to cement his legacy in the NFL. Washington has had a troubled fan base from the Donovan McNabb trade to the handling of RG3 and now Cousins. If Smith manages to win in Washington and make some noise in the postseason, he could quickly endear himself to fans.

Next: The Alex Smith trade says great things about Brett Veach

I do not believe Smith will be much of a downgrade, if at all, from Cousins. He impressed a lot of people this last season, and I think Washington fans will find him as a nice surprise.

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