Rap Sheet: Talks With Alex Smith Not Progressing Well

[CaliforniaChief]

Team that will consider a 1st-round QB: The #Chiefs. Negotiations with Alex Smith aren’t progressing well. Must keep long-term options open

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 5, 2014

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by rico

When was the last time that we were so vocal in expressing our willingness to draft a 1st time QB? Smoke-screen or not, when was the last time the Chiefs were reportedly "possibly interested in taking a QB in the 1st round of the draft" prior to the draft taking place?

This is just ChiefsPlanet's population. The average Chiefs fan probably wants Alex Smith locked up long term and for the team to draft a WR or something else on offense.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Cochise

This is just ChiefsPlanet's population. The average Chiefs fan probably wants Alex Smith locked up long term and for the team to draft a WR or something else on offense.

Nearly everyone here would applaud a reasonable contract extension for Alex Smith.

Don't be so obtuse.

[BigBeauford]

Originally Posted by rico

If we draft Derek Carr to sit behind Smith for a year and Smith has a crappy year next year and the Chiefs fans started making these kinds of chants about Derek, I bet Smith will seriously be like, "**** my ****ing life" and despise the entire Carr family.

I like to fantasize the back door meetings, with Dorsey telling Alex if he doesn't take less than 15mil, he will have the Carr brothers run his ass out of town.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

I like to fantasize the back door meetings

Uh, ok

[Dayze]

lol.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Cochise

They invested too much in draft value and things went too well last year for the Reid and Smith marriage to just split up over a few bucks. They're trying to drive up the premium of QBs in the draft so that someone trades with them, or they get the consolation prize of someone else they like falling to them.

The simplest explaination is usually the best. I doubt Alex is the kind of guy who's going to turn into TO over a couple mill. He's in the best position to perform that he's been in over his whole career so far, being the unquestioned starter and with a coach who is committed to him. He won't talk his way out of that.

That would be reasonable to expect out of Smith, wouldn't it? It's not Smith doing the negotiations, though. It's Condon. And he has an alarming recent history of gouging teams out of 100s of millions of dollars in contract extensions for his QB clients. And why would Condon try to back off from that blood-sucking strategy just for Alex? He gets more money on larger contracts.

I've never heard of a franchise leaking false information about negotiations just to play up the draft or the events that might take place, especially in this hypothetical situation, where Smith and the Chiefs already have a deal pretty much in place.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

There's zero positive out of that trade if Smith walks after year 2. The end result is still a total disaster of a trade, and two years of the latest attempt at a rebuild utterly wasted. Less bad than it could have been is not grounds for a pat on the back.

I understand that point of view but consider it this way:

Scott Pioli traded for Cassel, paid a high price, immediately inked him to a long-term contract when he didn't have to, and then refused to replace him as the QB.

Dorsey traded for Smith, paid a higher price in draft compensation, but let him play out his deal and *perhaps* based upon the quality of his play, might not be willing to pay up in the upper tier of QBs.

It demonstrates a willingness to admit a mistake. Far too few executives can do that, and it gives me faith that he just might be a rational actor.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by SNR

That would be reasonable to expect out of Smith, wouldn't it? It's not Smith doing the negotiations, though. It's Condon. And he has an alarming recent history of gouging teams out of 100s of millions of dollars in contract extensions for his QB clients. And why would Condon try to back off from that blood-sucking strategy just for Alex? He gets more money on larger contracts.

I've never heard of a franchise leaking false information about negotiations just to play up the draft or the events that might take place, especially in this hypothetical situation, where Smith and the Chiefs already have a deal pretty much in place.

That's what Smith hired him to do...

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by SNR

That would be reasonable to expect out of Smith, wouldn't it? It's not Smith doing the negotiations, though. It's Condon. And he has an alarming recent history of gouging teams out of 100s of millions of dollars in contract extensions for his QB clients. And why would Condon try to back off from that blood-sucking strategy just for Alex? He gets more money on larger contracts.

Probably because he works for Alex Smith. If he doesn't want the commission then it will not be an issue for Smith to get another agent quickly.
It would only make sense that Alex and Condon have had communications about basic parameters that Alex wants in this contract and why. If Condon did not agree to that then Smith should have replaced him right then and there.
I would imagine that Dorsey or Reid could call Alex up at any given moment and tell him what they are offering and find out what Smith thinks about the offer and what numbers need to change in his opinion.

[Tombstone RJ]

Smith hired Condone because Condone is a shrewed negotiator. We as fans all hate it but I guarantee you if I was an NFL QB I'd be loving me an agent that gets the very best contract possible for me. It's all part of the business, you can't hate Condone for doing his damn job. You can hate the business end of the NFL but that's just the way it is.

[rico]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Smith hired Condone because Condone is a shrewed negotiator. We as fans all hate it but I guarantee you if I was an NFL QB I'd be loving me an agent that gets the very best contract possible for me. It's all part of the business, you can't hate Condone for doing his damn job. You can hate the business end of the NFL but that's just the way it is.

So you condone what Alex and Condon are doing?

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Probably because he works for Alex Smith. If he doesn't want the commission then it will not be an issue for Smith to get another agent quickly.
It would only make sense that Alex and Condon have had communications about basic parameters that Alex wants in this contract and why. If Condon did not agree to that then Smith should have replaced him right then and there.
I would imagine that Dorsey or Reid could call Alex up at any given moment and tell him what they are offering and find out what Smith thinks about the offer and what numbers need to change in his opinion.

Not sure you can just go around a player's agent to clue the player in on the deal you're offering.

[BryanBusby]

Why would you knock the hustle?

The first objective is to get paid and John Dorsey has illustrated that he's reeruned when it comes to forming contracts.

[BossChief]

If Alex Smith and Tom Condon think they can get more elsewhere, let him go sign a deal in Oakland or Cleveland and waste the 2-4 good years he might have left.

If he wants to win, he will stay near a coach like Andy Reid and on a team with surrounding talent.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by rico

So you condone what Alex and Condon are doing?

doh! Nope, I hate it too but it's part of the business....