Paylor: Chiefs face decision on quarterback Alex Smith

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs face decision on quarterback Alex Smith
By TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star

When John Dorsey swung the trade to bring Alex Smith to Kansas City last offseason, he knew the price, which ended up being two second-round picks, was fairly steep.

However, for a man who prefers to build through the draft, it was an indicator of how important it is to have a quarterback in the NFL. And 10 months later, Dorsey couldn’t be happier with the deal, especially after watching Smith post a career season while leading the Chiefs to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance.

“He helped this organization move forward,” Dorsey said. “It’s everything we talked about. His leadership, his communication, his physical skills, guys believing in him ... he’s everything we expected.”

Now, Dorsey has another crucial decision to make this offseason regarding his quarterback, this time regarding his contract. Smith, 29, is coming off a regular season in which he completed 60.6 percent of his passes for a career-high 23 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, but only has one year remaining on a deal that will pay him approximately $7.5 million in 2014.

On Friday, Smith told WHB (810 AM) that neither he nor his agent, Tom Condon, have heard from the Chiefs about an extension. While Dorsey made it clear that while he doesn’t conduct business through the media, in a recent interview with The Star he reiterated his belief that having the right quarterback is a key component to any football team, and continues to like everything Smith brings to the table.

“We all know this is a quarterback-driven league,” Dorsey said. “Right now, what we’re doing, we’re actually doing hypotheticals to do the ‘what if’ game.

“We’ll have communications with his representatives and see what the process does.”

Provided the Chiefs do plan on extending Smith this offseason — and all signs seem to be pointing that way — it’s a strategy that ESPN football analyst and former Philadelphia director of pro personnel Louis Riddick understands.

While Riddick says Smith always has been considered a level or two below the likes of Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and yes, Philip Rivers, his Smith’s performance over the last half of the season (particularly the Chiefs’ 45-44 playoff loss to the Colts, in which he completed 30 of 46 passes for 378 yards, four touchdown and zero interceptions) should have opened some eyes.

“Is he good enough to still be able to play the position at a level where you could compete to go to the big game?” Riddick asked. “Absolutely. He did more than enough just this past week against Indianapolis to give you a chance to win. To score 40-plus points should win you a large, large, large majority of your football games.

“And it wasn’t just opportunistic short drives or drives off of just turnovers, even though some of them were of that nature. He was pushing the ball down the field accurately and making plays with his legs.”

That’s not to say Smith doesn’t have limitations. He often played too cautiously the first half of the season, as he routinely took few chances downfield and sometimes missed open receivers. His overall Pro Football Focus grade of negative-0.6 for the season, which ranks 24th among all quarterbacks who played at least 25 percent of his team’s snaps, probably reflects that.

“You have to make sure you’re much more balanced as a team because he’s not of the skill level where he can consistently make everyone else better and raise their game,” Riddick said. “That’s not being hypercritical of him, that’s just an assessment of the situation for what it is, at least from my perspective. He had one real legit, consistent receiver this year in Dwayne Bowe. Give him some more weapons. Give him some more. And then, let’s see what happens.”

Riddick, however, added that it would be a real mistake to overlook the improvements Smith made during the course of the year, something his PFF grade of 6.7 over the last seven games also reflects.

“You saw as the year went on, he loosened up more and more as far as being willing to take chances and throw the ball down the field, which was a good concern of everybody’s in Kansas City at the beginning of the year,” Riddick said. “Well, I was one of the people who thought that as time goes on and he gets more comfortable, they’ll get it out of him. And they did.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid seems to think they will get even more out of Smith next season, largely due to his work ethic. In a recent radio interview with 810, Reid said Smith “is a kid you’ve got to kick out the building” and that the Chiefs are “very fortunate to have him in Kansas City.”

None of this surprises Riddick, who worked with Reid in Philadelphia from 2010 to 2013 and knows what Reid demands from his quarterbacks in his West Coast Offense. Riddick describes Smith’s intangibles as “A-plus, plus,” and says Reid has always liked him.

“I mean, he is like a computer,” Riddick said of Smith. “He can absorb as much information as you can pump into him and spit it back out just like you put it into him. Alex is brilliant when it comes to that, and it’s not a simple offense — it’s a full-blown West Coast offense that requires a lot of functional football intelligence from a quarterback. If you look at the West Coast playbook and you just read West Coast terminology as far as how they call plays, it is very, very, very, very wordy. A whole lot of verbiage. And it’s tough to remember, it’s tough.

“So to just get a play in your headset and regurgitate it to the players, remember all the different reads that come with every play — particularly a passing play — and be able to execute it to a level where you’re winning football games and scoring 40-plus points, you can’t be a dummy, you just can’t. I know, because I’ve seen the playbook, I’ve been on the headset with Andy Reid. You have to be football-smart, you have to be smart, period. Otherwise, it will blow you away.”

Riddick’s comments seem to jibe with Reid’s feelings about Smith’s intangibles.

“Alex is one of those guys, I was telling the coaches yesterday, that you could pay $500 million to and he’d be the same guy,” Reid said in the radio interview. “He’d never put you or him in that position to throw it in your face.

“That’s a big-boy position, financially. (Quarterbacks) cost a lot and also pay high-dividends back to your organization. But that will be stuff that goes on down the road, here. I haven’t even looked at that or thought about that.”

But you can bet Dorsey has, because there are several potential roads they can take. Do they let next season play out and put the franchise tag on Smith afterward? And if they do extend him, what will the price tag be?

Chances are, it will be expensive. Chicago’s Jay Cutler just signed a seven-year contract reportedly worth $126 million with $54 million guaranteed, and Smith is not only a year younger than Cutler, but has also posted comparable or better numbers than Cutler has the last three seasons.

Riddick didn’t want to speculate on what a fair price tag for a player like Smith would be. But he does believe the Chiefs have a quarterback they like, one he — and the organization — thinks they can win with. So in today’s NFL, it would make sense if the Chiefs choose to lock up Smith this offseason.

“Obviously you have to value him properly from a dollars and sense perspective, and they will have to come up with the comparable (quarterbacks) to set a floor for what they’re gonna pay him and set a ceiling for what they’re gonna pay him,” Riddick said. “But as long as the rest of your team is sound, he’s more than good enough, and he’s the kind of guy that Andy likes — a guy who is gonna take care of the football and do what you ask him to do, as far as playing his position.”

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I think he has top 10 talent.

I also think he's got the ability to raise his level of play come playoff time.

While I don't think of him as an elite QB I'd sign him to a 3 year deal if we could push off some of his salary to the next two years...

Because you are prone to react after using critical thinking instead of impulsive reerunation.

Let me ask you this. Alex Smith is considered average by some. But is surrounded as a whole by marginal talent. Tom Brady this year surrounded by average talent is considered a GOD. Seems weird doesn't it?

[Rausch]

I'd say 90% of our n00bs joined in October.

I'm glad I'll be taking that extra week off this year to suck down premium beverage in Herman...

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

Let me ask you this. Alex Smith is considered average by some. But is surrounded as a whole by marginal talent. Tom Brady this year surrounded by average talent is considered a GOD. Seems weird doesn't it?

Coaching...

[BossChief]

It NEEDS to be mentioned that Alex Smiths first 9 games weren't very good. At all.

Should thy lock him up to premium money for such a small sample size of quality play?

I guess that depends on the breakdown of the contract, for me.

[TripleThreat]

Originally Posted by BossChief

It NEEDS to be mentioned that Alex Smiths first 9 games weren't very good. At all.

Should thy lock him up to premium money for such a small sample size of quality play?

I guess that depends on the breakdown of the contract, for me.

Depends what u mean by bad play.. His 1st 9 games he has a game where he threw 16 times for 100yds and 0 tds because the game was alrdy locked up.... Are u saying he played like shit that game because the game was alrdy locked up and we didn't need a 35pass attempt game for 350 yds and 3 tds for a come from behind win?

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

Because you are prone to react after using critical thinking instead of impulsive reerunation.

Let me ask you this. Alex Smith is considered average by some. But is surrounded as a whole by marginal talent. Tom Brady this year surrounded by average talent is considered a GOD. Seems weird doesn't it?

Alex had far better talent around him in 2013. It just took Alex forever to look for Bowe. Once he did, his stats and effectiveness started to be noticeably better.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Alex had far better talent around him in 2013. It just took Alex forever to look for Bowe. Once he did, his stats and effectiveness started to be noticeably better.

IT...WAS...YEAR...ONE...

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Rausch

IT...WAS...YEAR...ONE...

I understand and have said multiple times that I expect a large jump in production next year...but I don't KNOW that. I HOPE that.

Also, if Andy Reid is good enough of a teacher to get Alex Smith to play out of is mind...why couldn't we see a similar jump in 2-3 years from a guy we draft that could step in and give us a similar output...but with a cap number less than 3 million?

Just playing devils advocate here. I became an Alex Smith fan this year and wouldn't be mad if he gets locked up to a 6 year deal, as long as it doesn't prevent us from filling the other sizable holes on the roster.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Alex had far better talent around him in 2013. It just took Alex forever to look for Bowe. Once he did, his stats and effectiveness started to be noticeably better.

Im sorry. I just cant agree with that. Tom Brady at the very least had worked with every single one of his running backs, his Oline, and Julian Edelman, who had 105 catches this year.

Alex Smith may of had the premiere player, but he still had never played with them.

And, before we do this, the Patriots, played just as soft a schedule as the Chiefs did. They really did. Their division was TERRIBAD, they played the afc north. They did pull the NFC SOUTH, but, seriously. And a lot of their tough games, they pulled at home, like the Denver game.

And, on top of that, TOM BRADY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL TIMES.

And, on this board, it has been said MANY MANY MANY MANY times, that great qbs can make any receivers look great.

Sorry. I just cant see Avery, Dex, Bowe, Fasano, mcbeard, as being comparable to any other top echelon team, and going the Chiefs have it better.

Not one.

Bengals, eagles, Chargers, Broncos, Pats, Colts, 49ers, seattle, Carolina, New Orleans, Green bay.

The only argument you may get out of me, is the Colts. Other than that, I think those teams have far superior talent around their qbs than the Chiefs have.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by hitchief

I still cannot believe there are some who think Alex is just a average qb and need to find the replacement to groom. To each his own but that playoff game was money and he deserves what he can get.

The team would be crazy to not resign Alex to a 4-5 year deal. Qb is the most important position and once you have one you secure it and move on. He wont demand a bank breaking deal but he and his agent will be looking for say a slot between 8 and 12.

If we paid Bowe that kind of money? Just sayin

Originally Posted by FringeNC

Alex Smith was not an elite QB before we acquired, but I think there is potential for him to reach that level with Reid. Most elite QBs have elite coaches who specialize the offense around the particular talents of the QB.

It's a 2 way street. There's incentives other than money for Alex to want to play here. A favorable roster that is a legit playoff team and contender on the rise, with young talent and a front office that should be able to hand him more weapons in the upcoming seasons.

Playing for Andy- a coach that genuinely wants him here and has a proven track record with successful QBs. There's not likely a better environment for him to succeed and gain the tutelage and coaching that he'll get compared to KC with Reid.

He's been through the rebuilds and heavy coaching turnover that required starting back at square 1 over and over. Anyone think a 30 going on 31 year old QB really wants to go to the Browns or some other club in flux and digging themselves out of less than mediocrity just to pocket a couple extra million over a few seasons.

That definitely doesn't sound like Smith's personality in my estimation.

Offer the guy a contract between the top 7 and top 11 QBs, and depending on where that shakes out you dial it up or down with incentive clauses to add value to the contract, and maybe push the signing bonus money a bit high. It's good PR, and the agents love when they can point to a gaudy number they got- even if the total deal in actuality isn't nearly as shocking because the base salary money is cap friendly.

Cutler just did the inverse of this with no signing bonus, but getting over 56m in the 1st 3 years.
Brady's deal is peanuts going forward by comparison, but this year he got 31m!!!

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by milkman

You don't place value on an established player based on future potential.
You establish value on past performance.

Are you sure you want to stick with that position?

If that's the case, then Dayton Moore abolutely RAPED the Tampa Bay Rays last year. He was able to get James Shields and Wade Davis from the Rays for a couple of minor leaguers with no record of past performance at all.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

Are you sure you want to stick with that position?

If that's the case, then Dayton Moore abolutely RAPED the Tampa Bay Rays last year. He was able to get James Shields and Wade Davis from the Rays for a couple of minor leaguers with no record of past performance at all.

This isn't a baseball thread dumbass