Reports: Chiefs agree to trade quarterback Alex Smith to Redskins
Jan 30, 2018, 8:16 PM | Updated: 10:05 pm
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) throws during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Tennessee Titans in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
The Arizona Cardinals are in need of a quarterback next season, and one name they reportedly showed interest toward in the past is headed to Washington.
The Redskins will be acquiring Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, per multiple reports.
The trade cannot be finalized until the league’s first day of the year, Mar. 14.
Smith, 33, has one year left on his contract, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting his stay in Washington could be much longer than that.
QB Alex Smith and Washington now have reached an agreement on a new four-year contract extension, per sources. Smith, who had one year left on his contact, tied to Washington for next five seasons. Smith gets long-term deal from Washington that Cousins could not.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2018
Schefter reports the package for Smith going to Kansas City is a 2018 third-round pick and cornerback Kendall Fuller.
Multiple teams – and one person labeled it as “six” – expressed some form of interest to KC about trading for QB Alex Smith, per sources. KC was listening to offers from other teams this morning.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2018
Smith has a career completion percentage of 62.4 percent and 183 career passing touchdowns. In the 2017 season, he set a new career high in passing yards with 4,042, while leading the Chiefs to a 10-6 record and an AFC West title.
The move for Smith to Washington, of course, leads to the next step of their quarterback Kirk Cousins being available. Cousins becomes a free agent this March if the Redskins do not franchise tag him.
He finished the 2017 season with 4,093 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, leading the Redskins to a 7-9 record.
104.3 The Fan’s Mark Schlereth told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Bickley & Marotta earlier this month that the Cardinals would be wise to go after the 29-year-old.
“If I was the GM of that team, I would look for a veteran quarterback much like you guys had in Carson Palmer,” he said. “There is two that are potentially available that could change your franchise. Kirk Cousins is one.
“I think he is a top-10 quarterback in this league.”
That second quarterback Schlereth mentions is Smith, who it now appears the Cardinals will have to cross off their list as they continue to figure out how they address their biggest question mark for next season.
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