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The 2018 NFL offseason hasn’t even officially started and we have a big trade in place.
Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reported that an agreement has been made to send Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington, which pretty much means Kirk Cousins’ days in Washington are over, and the Chiefs are ready to start the Patrick Mahomes era.
Details on the trade are scarce, but it looks as if draft picks and a player are involved in this deal.
The #Chiefs are trading QB Alex Smith to the #Redskins, source confirms (as @TerezPaylor reported). It involves picks and a player. Huge deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2018
Update: It’s a 2018 third-round pick and CB Kendall Fuller heading Kansas City’s way.
In Alex Smith trade, Chiefs will receive third-round pick And CB Kendall Fuller, per @FieldYates. So there’s the trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2018
Smith is coming off the best season of his career, throwing for more than 4,000 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just 5 interceptions. Unfortunately, in typical Chiefs fashion, they squandered a 21-3 halftime lead against the Tennessee Titans, and were bounced at home in the AFC Wild Card Round. Smith’s cap hit was due to be $20.6 million in 2018, the final year of his contract with Kansas City, so the Chiefs save $17 million by shipping the 33-year-old.
Cousins will hit the free agent market following a 7-9 season in Washington, and a second straight year of missing the playoffs. Teams that figure to be in the running for his services include the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and the New York Jets, all of whom desperately need a quarterback.
By the way, Washington just agreed to a four-year contract extension with Smith, so they’re going to give him the money that Cousins will be seeking elsewhere.
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
Consider this move the start of what should be a truly wild offseason. The trade will not be processed until March 14th.