Chiefs fans who want less of Alex Smith may get their wish after 2016
 

http://www.scout.com/nfl/chiefs/stor...pot-with-smith

SEAN KEELER
Yesterday at 7:14 PM
Kansas City faithful want a divorce from their struggling signal-caller. But that signal-caller has a contract that doesn’t get (ahem) ‘team-friendly’ until AFTER next fall.

Look we get it, we get it: You want a divorce. Now. Yesterday, if possible.
You saw the wounded duck that left Alex Smith’s arm in the Twin Cities during a fourth-quarter comeback that fell short. And speaking of falling short, there was No. 11’s next offering. Mercy.
It may not seem conceivable, cruel even, for Kansas City Chiefs fans to get hammered with any more undesirable news at the moment. Not after 1-5 and a campaign that looks completely off the rails. Not after a freak injury ended Jamaal Charles’ season before he could try and save it. Not after Jeremy Maclin, the club’s only front-line veteran wide receiver, stuck in limbo as he recovers from a concussion.
Well, here’s some gruel to go with the cruel, baby: $7.1 million.
As in, that’s the cap hit the Chiefs would take by cutting Smith in 2016.
At least according to the fun little calculator provided by the folks over at OverTheCap.com, who list the dead money owed to the Chiefs’ quarterback at staggering $24.9 million as of next year. (Current dead money: an even more staggering $40.4 million.)
“Dead money,” in layman’s terms, is money from a player’s contract that continues to count against a team’s salary cap after said player is no longer on the roster. It’s not just a barometer of a particular team’s investment — it’s a benchmark of just how hard it could be to excise that player (and contract) immediately from the program.
The Chiefs have three players who are projected to account for more than $10 million in dead money in 2016, if cut: Smith, outside linebacker Justin Houston ($16.4 million) and wideout Jeremy Maclin ($19.35 million). In a salary-cap universe, long-term, big-money investments are precious. And, for better or worse, those are the three horses general manager John Dorsey has hitched his wagon to for at least the next 15 months. A June 1 cut of the Chiefs’ signal-caller would actually add $100,000 to the 2016 cap but still would leave $17.7 million in dead money.
To put it another way: In the short term, you’re stuck with him, kids.
So, yes, you could draft his replacement next spring. But instead of the wanderlust for, say, current Cal quarterback Jared Goff — a tall, smart California kid (not unlike Smith) whose college stats aren’t exactly hurt by playing in a Mike Leach-style passing system — maybe the Chiefs should invest a first round pick next spring by upgrading the toys Smith is going to be able to play with. Such as, say, left tackle. Or a valid No. 2 receiver. Or insurance/cover for either Charles or tight end Travis Kelce.
If the first six weeks have proven anything, it’s that No. 11 needs the help. And that the shopping list has rarely been longer.

If the chiefs draft another LT in the 1st round CP is gonna lost is $hit

No.

He gets no more toys. He has plenty of them.

He's just not good enough and there's never been better evidence of it than the 2nd to last throw of the game against Minnesota - Wilson was open. The play was there and Smith had the space to make it - he just didn't have anywhere close to the arm strength. Doing it again (on a slightly tougher throw) to end the game was just insult to injury.

He's Ryan Fitzpatrick. He may not even be that. There isn't any amount of upgrades that will make him a passable NFL quarterback. He's broken mentally while physically he's incapable of covering mental errors through raw tools. He's a backup QB at this point in his career.

He use to look like a real QB

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gLlW8lIEwhc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Him and Reid should have never met.

All the excuses for Smith's failure as a NFL QB are out the window this year;

- Too many changes a offensive coordinator; he's had the same coaching staff for the past 3 years, his HC is the man that brought him to KC

- Not enough tools around him; he's had arguably the best all around RB in his backfield and a young and up and coming TE for the past 2 years, now he can't even get the ball to his #1 WR

- The offensive system he plays in does not suit his style; this offensive system is supposed to play to his "strengths" and he can even operate this system effectively

All of Smith's excuses fall flat. When you go into MN and hold AP to less than 100 yards and MN only scores 16 points you have to be a total dumb ass not to walk out without a win. But KC and our vaunted QB did just that, pissed away another opportunity to get out with a win based on the lack of quality QB play..

Wow. Bob Dole hadn't noticed fans having a problem with Smith.

This thread is an eye opener!

It's nice the media is burning on Smith faster then it did cassel

Fitzpatrick is 4-1. If this team were 5-1 or 4-2 at this point, we'd be just fine.

Team game.

This Alex smith has been playing like trash But even if Fitz was on our team our record would not be much better Jets defense is for real.

And our defense is a bunch of talented pretenders.

Like I've said, the Allen Iversons of the NFL.

People talking about 'better QB play has us with 2 more wins' answer honestly. Do you trust this defense to go into a 12-10 victory like the greatest show on turf faced in the playoffs against the Bucs in 1999?

Smith does suck, but no mention of the worst OL in football going on two seasons now. Better fix it before you get another QB. Until then, keep lining Smith up behind it. Cant do anymore damage. Dude is beyond repair.

Maybe for you and many, but you are (deliberately?) overlooking three very important aspects.

1. bottom 5 pass pro OL
2. Andy's playcalls
3. bottom 10 defense giving up the lead in the last minutes for two games

Alex is not good enough to save a team with these problems. I think maybe 5 QBs are good enough, but we can't have them.

That's the core problem. We need better QB play. But there are maybe 5-7 QBs in NFL history that can make the current team a legit contender. Even then, the jump from legit contender to SB participant or even champion is a roll of the dice.

We have many holes and everyone is obsessed with filling one.

Our Defense needs

1.Another LB if ford is a Bust Tamba is done
2.More CB depth if Smith leaves
3.Another DT to take some of the snaps for Poe

I really want to know why Dee Ford is not getting some snaps Chiefs need to see if we have to draft another LB next year.

The problem with some of you, is that you don't realize how much smith plays into those problems or is a reason for them.

The offensive line is made to look worse my our qb bring slow processing info and holding the ball, not completing passes downfield. Hell, 3 plays against the Vikings we have Maclin matched up 1 on 1 outside where a decent throw is a big gain or pass interference.

The play calling is made to look worse because it has to be used to mask deficiency in our qb.

But, thus post is being glossed ovee, so carry on

I think most people agree with this but QB is the number one issue we should be trying to fix next year.

People made excuses for cassel too, until they no longer could

Cassel had a much longer leash then smith does because Charlie Weis made him look like a top 15 QB in 2010 such a Red herring year.

So we are expected to wait until AFTER 2016 to see less of Alex Smith?

This is one reason we also need a new coach. Give me a coach who will say **** the dead money and bench his ass.

With a better scheme and defensive coordinator, yes I do. Facing a pedestrian offense led by Sean ****ing King? 10 points? With this defensive line as the core? No problem.

We need some adjustments at LB. DJ and Hali are washed up and the other LB spot is... well... it exists, I guess. But Marcus Peters just needs some time to develop as a pro, and we've pretty much nailed the secondary.

If we hired Wade Phillips this offseason, our defense wouldn't be giving up 30 points per game, I can guarantee that.

90% of the mistakes being made on offense are because Alex does something wrong. The plays aren't very good to begin with, but we won 11 and 9 games the last two seasons with an inferior cast of receiving options and that same ****ing playbook.

Just look at Alex. Use the eye test. He's not efficient like he was those past two seasons. He's waaay more jittery. More indecisive. Doesn't run around as much.

He's done. Stick a fork in him. This season of his reminds me of when Jake Delhomme was cruising along doing his game manager thing, and even had a very successful 2009 season. Then 2010 hit and he just CRASHED. ****ing bottomed out. That was it. He couldn't do ANYTHING right. He was totally done.

That's Alex's season right here. You can tell. He's done as an NFL pro. Next stop is backing up Johnny Football in Cleveland. He's got ****ing NOTHING left.

if i remember right thats when the 49ers had one of the best o-line in the game but i could be wrong.

#1 and #2 are the SAME ****ING THING he had the past two seasons.

The defensive woes are also inexplicable considering the vast improvement on the defensive line. I don't see it as being ALL 100% on slowdowns by Hali and Johnson. Definitely miscues in the secondary and a lack of depth after Gaines went down, but honestly, you can't EXPECT a team to go 4 and 5 deep at CB where the #4 and #5 guys play like #1 and #2 guys.

It's Alex. How can you not ****ing notice his awful play this year and how he brings the entire offense down? Just ****ing LOOK AT HIM

I love you

And fwiw, I kinda like how ramik has played. If March turns out to be any good, I'd be ready to let dj walk and see what happens.

We are the 2014 Texans with Schaub.

We can bench smith at the start of next season but we might find some one stupid enough to trade a 5th or a 6th for Smith.

Swap 7th round picks with someone else (either up or down) and toss in Smith. Problem solved.

<3

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/archi.../t-292271.html

I was happy we drafted ramik :)

Smith has obviously lost his own confidence and his team's confidence. He's just playing out the string now - like Cassel was. We'd be better off getting Murray or Daniels reps. The idea of going into next season with Smith at the helm is vomitous.

The Denver game broke the team's confidence in themselves. Then the next couple games solidified everyone's lack of confidence in Smith.

That confidence is never coming back with smith behind center and Reid holding the clipboard 1-15 needs to get us a new QB and a HC.

Yes. The D isn't going to win the games in a vacuum. Above average QB play absolutely makes this a 10-12 game winner.

But Smith would still suck.

I backed Smith. I expected huge things from Smith this year. All he's done is prove every single negative thing said about him exactly correct. As KC_Lee broke down, the excuses he had coming into this season no longer wash.

Throw out the record: Smith is playing like a bad NFL quarterback. He can't drive the football, he won't stay in the pocket to deliver the pass, he's watching the rush as badly as he ever has and his accuracy has regressed to the point that he's missed 2 or 3 both of the last two weeks that were simple dumps or screens. He's been incapable of consistently hitting a simple 5 yard swing pass.

He's bad. I'm not sitting here blaming our record on him - I'm speaking to his performance in a vacuum. He's been a bad quarterback and there's simply no reason to keep trying to prop him up.

I love how a better record makes 52 players simultaneously ascendant, . . except the jittery QB behind a shitty o-line.

If Alex is no better a QB with a better record, the D is no better a squad with a better record.

Mentally broken units simultaneously resolve their mental problems in the blink of an eye, but a mentally broken QB is FOREVER!!

He had a clean pocket and Maclin streaking for a 90 yard TD...he threw the ball OOB. People want to act like Rodgers gets a shot at that throw 5 times a game but he doesn't - Rodgers gets that shot once or twice a game...he just connects on them. And that's all it takes in today's NFL; one or two big plays can change everything.

Smith never makes the difference making play. Ever. Rodgers hits 'em all. Flacco and Eli hit enough of them to win. Bad quarterbacks virtually always fail on them. Whether it's a bomb to a streaking Maclin or just a simple out route 15 yards downfield to Wilson - when there's a play to be made, Smith doesn't make it.

So you ignored everything I said there and simply parroted your same bullshit?

100 percent of pressure allowed on a qb isn't on the offensive line. Seems that's not realized here

If those people are still fans after the 2016 season, it's the Chiefs who will have gotten their wish.

Looking at team game single positions 'in a vacuum' is what's bullshit, especially when you assume synergy for some positions and discount it entirely for others.

Truly, I realize that a lot of people see me as an Alex apologist. I'm not. I'm just trying to get people to apply their butthurt evenly.

****, we're a 1/2 step away from blaming moldy hot dogs in the concession stands over vendor despondence over QB performance.

I understand, QB is THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION IN CIVILIZATION!!!WTFBBQ!!SMURFANAL!!!

It's still a team game.

The defense isn't mentally broken though. They've lost two leads in games that shouldn't have ever been to that point and held a team to 16 points and lost.

A lot is his fault, sadly the whole team sucks this year.

Berry, Hali, Johnson got old.. Coupled with Sutton's bad gameplanning, refusing to alter gameplans after a half. The defense looks lost.

Then the defense gets zero help from the offense. The offense cannot score points, sustain drives, crap 3rd down conversions. This is the combination of bad playcalling from Reid, bad oline and Alex taking forever to decide to check down.

Literally every team just needs the same plan that is easy to do. Keep everything in front of you. Alex cannot complete deep throws. So just defend the short game, you can defend the run and pass from this easily, even moreso with Charles out.

The team is a joke, lead by their leaders Smith and Reid.

Baby Lee still doesn't get how much a shitty QB brings down an entire team.

Sometimes that shitty QB can have a successful ground-and-pound running game behind him and still produce enough wins to be a successful playoff team.

When that running game isn't there (or in Andy's case, he just refuses to lean on it in spite of his QB's limitations) then you see the awful shit show performances that Alex has been putting up against bottom feeder teams like the Bears and Vikings.

It's a team game, yes. To a certain extent.

When it's not, then yes, it IS all about the shitty QB.

Has no QB ever came back from Mental issues with the game Drew Brees is the only QB I can think of who has changed his mentality

I can't speak for everyone, but for me a 1st round QB isn't about 2 more wins in 2015 or 2016. 1st round QB is an investment in long-term success (2017-2025, if we are lucky). The big argument for me is that top talent QBs are so rare that you have to take them when you have an opportunity. If you don't have a top talent QB, you need dedicate resources each year into finding one because without one you are going nowhere. 1st round QB is the first step of many to becoming a contender.

Our shitty offense on par with the 6-0 Broncos. As is the 2-5 49ers.

Berry has been great this year. He looks fine.

DJ and hali, yes, they're done.

Reid picked Alex so in the end I'm guessing he sinks for that choice. But i don't think the play calling has been near the issue as the qb has been

Check Chiefs facebook every one on there wants us to draft o-line with our 1st 3 picks.

Vinnie Testeverde was D E A D dead at QB in his early-mid 30s, came back late with a better siutation.

You're right, and the D did their job in MN; kept AP in check and only allowed MN to score 16 points. It wasn't a stellar performance but it was a solid performance on the road in the NFL.

The O, led by Smith, failed to capitalize on the D's effort. So one part of the team did their job and the other did not. Put an average QB in place of Smith KC wins a close one. But with Smith we get the same old same old, a milquetoast effort from a QB that more afraid of losing the game than taking the bull by the horns and winning the game.

Smith is so scared of making a mistake that his play lacks any type of fire. When the leader of the O is scared the rest of the unit reflects that. The opposing D sees this and adjusts. This is why we find ourselves where were are now as KC fans. Pieces of what could be a good to great team held back by the lack of a quality QB. Same old, same old.

Yes, an offense that moves the ball rather than going 3 and out for an entire half, makes the defense better. I'm not sure how the Alex Apologists don't see it. I also don't believe this Oline is nearly as bad as they make it out to be either. I'm not saying they are great by any means, but Andy Dalton seems to be able to make plays with pressure in his face, as well as the top tier qbs in the league. Smith doesn't look down field, ever. Smith doesn't have the arm strength a pro qb needs. And his game management, his best trait, has been piss poor this season. He needs to go.

Last time I checked PFF had berry rated the top safety in the NFL he has a real good chance at winning comeback player of the year.

I personally think it should go to Dalton.

I'm totally on board with investing in a QB. Totally not on board with 'just do it, and if it fails do it again. Suck 'til superstar. It's the only thing we haven't tried'

Because that is *so* different than what the Chiefs have been doing for the last forty ****ing years.

That's another tired mantra though.

You don't have to have a superstar at qb in today's league. It's not the force multiplier it once was.

But you've gotta have competent play at minimum there. Right now, we dont.

We haven't had a competent passing game since Weis and Cassel

Like I said, swap defensive coordinators with Denver, and we're at least beating the ****ing Bears and Vikings, and possibly even the Donks.

That shouldn't excuse the need to get a new QB. Or lose out for one, since the season is ****ing dead. Does no good whatsoever to start a rally behind Alex Smith at this point.

I recall Kyle Orton making our offensive line look pretty good when he took over. That same offensive line that Cassel made look pretty bad. I would prefer Murray, but would be satisfied to see Daniel get a shot behind this O-line to see if there is a difference in the performance level of the line.

The 2011 49ers offensive line wasn't bad, yet Smith was sacked 44 times.

That wasn't a very mentally tough offensive line /Baby Lee

98 jets ?

I'd be interested to see how many times Von Miller gets dropped back into coverage versus Houston.

You are an Alex apologist.

If you're going to watch him play and simply ignore his poor play or pass it off as a byproduct of the failings of others, then there's essentially nothing he could do for you to castigate him right now. That's being an apologist.

When Smith does get a look, he misses it. When he does have a throwing lane, he misfires. When he does have a guy open downfield, he's busy staring at the rush and bailing.

Blaming the WRs at this point doesn't wash. He had guys all over the place during the Broncos and Bears games. I can't speak to the road games because you don't get that view but from the stands, you can see that there are people to throw to...often. He simply won't stand in and make a damn read. Even when he has time, he's looking to quit on the play.

The guy is playing poorly - period. He's doing nothing to help his O-Line either. I'm going to make the same point I made for years with Cassel and that I refrained from using on Smith until this season -

The 1993 KC Chiefs:
Montana -- 298 passes attempted; 12 sacks. 1 sack per 24.83 attempts
Dave Krieg -- 189 passes attempted; 22(!) sacks. 1 sack per 8.59 attemps

Was our line 3 times better when blocking for Joe Montana? Of course not, but Joe Montana made his line better by knowing where to be in the pocket, when to step up and when to throw. He knew how to play the position much better than Krieg.

Smith makes his line worse. His limitations make our playcalling more predictable, which in turn makes everyone worse. Is he the only problem on this team? No, no he is not.

He is, however, easily the biggest problem on this team.

Cassel made the line look decent in 2010

it's all about QB play if you hold on to the ball for way to long (Alex Smith) your line is gonna look like trash.

We're Chiefs fans....we never get our wish.

He believes in other unsupported beliefs as well, so you have to give him a partial pass.

Hey, don't look at me. I'm the biggest Wade Phillips fan a Donkey hater can possibly be.

Just because I'm not a constant asshole about it like Claynus and SDAutumnWind doesn't mean I don't have bitterness there.

ROFL How True!

LOL...KC's looking to draft top 5 next year, and this yokel recommends another lineman. I cant do anything but laugh.

I honestly dont know what another TE or #2 WR would do for Smith unless they're running routes behind the LOS. Smith does need help, but I think it's psychological.

Ultimately I think he still views Alex Smith as though he's Trent Green.

If you gave Trent Green this line and these weapons, he'd succeed. He wouldn't be nearly as good as he was with the God-like line he did have, but he'd be successful. Trent Green was a guy who could be a product of his weapons and even make those weapons a hair better.

Smith isn't. Smith, for whatever reason, has regressed to the point that he's pretty much Matt Cassel 2.0 at this point. He's gunshy, he's inconsistent, he damn sure appears to be losing the lockerroom. Are we really going to say the same stuff that the Cassel apologists were saying until banners were flying overhead?

I hate it. I liked the guy. I wanted him to succeed badly. He's not going to and in fact I suspect it will get much worse the longer he's under center. Those throws the last 2 weeks are just so completely unacceptable. The guy has lost so much that he looks injured back there. If this is who he is now, this may be a 3 win football team.

Albert Wilson broke open clean for a 15 yard gain that would've moved the chains and kept a potential game-winning drive alive.

Smith throw late, he threw low and he threw with absolutely no power behind it.

And then he did it all over again on the next play.

This season has not been about a lack of available weapons. It has not been about guys being unable to get open. Smith simply isn't making the throws. He's the problem.

If it's after 2016, nobody's getting their wish.

I've never seen a QB recover once he starts watching the rush.

Once that happens, it's all over. Sure, you could try to put a $40 million O-line in front of him, but why bother with a veteran QB? A) It can't be done because a veteran starting QB runs $15 million/season these days so it's cost prohibitive to build a super-line at that point and B) To what end? Just about any rookie could succeed if given 4 seconds to throw. Just cycle through mid-round QBs at that point.

Once a QB starts watching the pass rush, the amount of clean space he needs around him to feel comfortable and run the offense becomes so great that the QB is effectively paralyzed. He'll never be comfortable and he's shot.

That's where Smith is.

Cut him some slack. He's still recovering from a stroke.

I had a buddy texting me that we need more wrs last weekend.

Shit, albert wilson looks fune, even better than I thought. Maclin, kelce, wilson, oshitwhatever, Conley etc. The needs more weapons thing doesn't hold water.

It's paxton lunch 2016 or bust for o.city

Tank with Alex Smith in 2016, draft UCLA's Josh Rosen #1 overall in 2017.

Did he say 'more' or 'MOAR'? Cuz if just 'more', tell him to GTFO.

Well i'm glad i could give SEAN KEELER the info for his article.

I'm not sure we couldn't trade him. There will certainly be a QB poor team this offseason. Someone traded for Matt Cassel this year.

Is it possible we could basically give him away for a 7th? That a team could have him just for assuming the contract?

(Not that Andy will give up on his guy yet.)

We can get less of Alex Smith immediately. Just gotta quit watching this shit.

big dead money and/or cap hit if we do anything with him until after 2016


Just draft your young guy and keep Smith around to help for a season, then move on.

Smith can be our Chase Daniel for a year.

June 1st cut next year and we gain $1 million in cap space.