Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Smith market is heating up already

The 2018 NFL offseason hasn’t even officially begun, but the Kansas City Chiefs are already seeing a market for Alex Smith. Here is the latest on a potential trade.

One of the biggest conversations in Chiefs Kingdom right now is how the Kansas City Chiefs will address the Alex Smith situation. The conversation ranges from what the team should do, to what kind of compensation they could get for him. Some believe this won’t be a big move for KC. However, the early reports suggest it will be.

I have broken down my view of the Alex Smith market from both in terms of potential suitors and what kind of return the Chiefs could get. If the rumor mill is to be believed, those breakdowns are on the right track. The most encouraging report right now comes from Ben Allbright who says the opening offers for Smith involve second-round picks.

That is great news for Kansas City because this is still very early in the process. If teams are ready to talk about giving up a second-round pick now, that can change quite a bit over the next month or two. As the market develops, teams will have to adjust their offer to gain an advantage. That puts the Chiefs in the driver’s seat.

The Jaguars are reportedly looking to acquire either Redskins QB Kirk Cousins or Chiefs’ Alex Smith, and if they are successful, they will move on from Blake Bortles. (via @AdamSchefter / @ESPNSAS)
— LeadingNFL (@LeadingNFL) January 25, 2018

Two Teams Emerge As Early Candidates

Another big development to take place early on for the Kansas City Chiefs is a recent report from Adam Schefter. The ESPN insider went on the air with Steven A. Smith and told listeners that the Jaguars would move on from Blake Bortles if they could acquire either Alex Smith or Kirk Cousins. That is the first major domino to fall for KC.

Another rumor has gained some traction, though this one is more circumstantial than insider reporting. Bills general manager Brandon Beane had a lengthy conversation at the Senior Bowl with super agent Tom Condon. Alex Smith is one of Condon’s top clients this offseason, and the fit between Buffalo and Smith makes sense.

The Bills would have to be thinking about a long-term contract for Alex Smith if they acquired him. So having early talks with his agent would make a lot of sense. Of course, Tom Condon represents a lot of players, including Eli Manning and Sam Bradford. Both of those quarterbacks may be available as well. Still, this is something to keep an eye on.

Expect The Rumors To Heat Up Even More

The fact that there is already this much chatter around the Kansas City Chiefs trading Alex Smith is a good thing. It shows that a number of teams are looking to address the quarterback position without using the draft to do it. That also jives with a lot of reports that teams aren’t that impressed with this year’s quarterback class.