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Trades aren’t commonplace in today’s NFL. Blockbuster deals involving starting quarterbacks are even more rare. Deals occurring during the week of Super Bowl border on unicorn status.
The focus of Super Bowl week is supposed to be on the big game and the two teams involved. The Redskins and Chiefs didn’t get that memo.
On Tuesday, the Redskins made a big move, acquiring quarterback Alex Smith from the Chiefs in exchange for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick up the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft.
While no trades can become official until the new league year begins on March 14, it’s a done deal. As a condition of the deal, the Redskins then signed the 33-year-old signal-caller to a massive four-year, $94 million contract extension. Of that an almost incomprehensible amount, $71 million is guaranteed.
The Redskins were expected to lose their quarterback, Kirk Cousins this offseason after using the franchise tag on him in each of the last two seasons. Cousins recently said that he would sign a third-straight franchise tag with no complaints, but the Redskins apparently wanted to go in a different direction. Had they used the tag on Cousins again, he would have earned $34 million guaranteed for the 2018 season. As expensive as Smith is, Cousins will earn even more money on the open market. There’s a very good chance that he’ll wind up with the largest contract in NFL history, which says something about the current state of the league.
Meanwhile, Smith is coming off the finest season of his career, eclipsing the 4000-yard mark for the first time while completing 67.5% of his passes. His 26 touchdown passes were the high-water mark for his career while he threw only five interceptions. He finished with a QB rating of 104.7, which was also the highest mark of his career. He was also effectively mobile, racking up 264 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. He should do a serviceable job for the Redskins, but it’s hard to see him justifying that type of contract in his age-37 and age-38 seasons.
The Redskins weren’t even the only club trying to acquire Smith on Tuesday. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that at least six other teams had expressed interest. The Browns reportedly made a strong offer as well, but it was Smith’s preference to go to the Redskins instead as his top desire was to play for a contender. The four-year extension didn’t hurt Washington’s chances either.
On the other side, it’s a move that makes all of the sense in the world from the Chiefs’ perspective. Smith was entering the final season of his contract and club will save $17 million against the salary cap with this move. They also have his heir-apparent already waiting in the wings in Patrick Mahomes.
The second-year quarterback out of Texas Tech was the Chiefs’ first round pick from last year’s draft (10th overall). He held his own in his one start with the Chiefs this season, completing 22 of his 35 passes for 284 yards and an interception, and also added 10 yards rushing. He’ll be an appealing fantasy commodity as early as 2018, especially in two-QB formats.
In addition to letting Mahomes ascend to the starting role, the Chiefs are by all accounts extremely high on Fuller. They view the 22-year-old as an immediate starter in their secondary, and a player who can make an impact on their defense. Fuller, a third round pick (82nd overall) from the 2016 draft, had 55 tackles, a forced fumble and four interceptions during an impressive 2017 campaign.
It’ll be interesting to see if Smith can take the Redskins to a new level after the limped to a 7-9 finish during a disappointing and injury-plagued 2017 season. He’ll certainly have his hands full battling the Eagles and Cowboys in a loaded NFC East.
