NFL: Alex Smith Traded to Washington
- Thread starter Bret44
- Start date
Washington should just have paid Cousins.
Starting QBs, even only above average ones, are expensive.
Why? Because it is very hard to win without them.
Any chance that Cousins goes to MIN or are they keeping Keenum?
Starting QBs, even only above average ones, are expensive.
Why? Because it is very hard to win without them.
Any chance that Cousins goes to MIN or are they keeping Keenum?
I would think Keenum probably will get a decent salary. Not huge, but better than the avg backup, maybe even lower paid starter money.
I am surprised that Cousins is not going to end up in San Francisco.
I thought he really wanted to be with Kyle Shanahan and Shanahan wanted him, too, and was kind of tanking/stockpiling until Cousins was going to be a free agent this off-season and could come and join them so they could conquer the world.
Then Jimmy G gets traded and turns out to be really good. No need for Cousins.
At least the Patriots are not going to have another dynasty after Brady.
I thought he really wanted to be with Kyle Shanahan and Shanahan wanted him, too, and was kind of tanking/stockpiling until Cousins was going to be a free agent this off-season and could come and join them so they could conquer the world.
Then Jimmy G gets traded and turns out to be really good. No need for Cousins.
At least the Patriots are not going to have another dynasty after Brady.
- Mar 27, 2006
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There's talk of the Vikings using the transition tag on Keenum, which would give him a 1 year deal at around $21 million if no one else tried to sign him. If he got an offer from somewhere else, Minnesota would have the right to match it.
My hope is that they use the transition tag on Keenum, and then try to get a mid range deal with Teddy done.
They might if they're able to dump Aqib Talib. There have been reports for the last week or so that they're looking to trade or release him.
Really, none of those teams outside of the Vikes would be all that appealing to me if I were Cousins. Denver, maybe Jacksonville or Arizona. I think the Cardinals might be a sneaky good destination with David Johnson and some pretty good players to build around on the defensive side of the ball. None of the other franchises on that list strike me a stable group.
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I like Alex Smith a lot but after this year they needed to blow things up and like you said you stated, I don't know how you get a better deal than this.
Still lots of holes to fill in LB, OL, and WRs, but the team gets back Spencer Ware, Eric Berry, and the WRs were decimated with injuries. If they can address needs on the OL and use both Ware and Hunt, that would take a lot of pressure off Mahomes.
I don't get the hate for Smith I guess. He's not an elite QB but he's pretty good. And good enough with the talent they have around him to win a SB. Getting a CB definitely has some value, but they're a lot easier to come by than a QB.
If Mahomes is ready this move is great. If not you just hamstrung a pretty good team and are potentially wasting some of the leagues best young offensive talent.
If Mahomes is ready this move is great. If not you just hamstrung a pretty good team and are potentially wasting some of the leagues best young offensive talent.
I don't know about blowing things up, but after they gave up that haul to move up and take Mahomes last year it was all but over for Smith in KC. This is a better deal than they could have possibly expected - they shored up their secondary and the third rounder they picked up makes up for the one they gave up to get Mahomes. So they got a potential franchise QB for the cost of a 2018 first round pick. Not too bad. As long as Mahomes isn't a bust they're in good position to compete for the AFC West championship again next year. They're in that sweet spot now if Mahomes is a stud - franchise QB on a cheap rookie deal surrounded with weapons, cap space, and a solid defense.
Yeah, I never got the Smith hate, I hated that we lost the playoff game, but to me that is less on Smith, and more on losing your most reliable clutch receiver and team leader/motivator for the half.
Smith is fine surrounded by a strong supporting cast and a stable organization. He's a poor fit in Washington and I'll be surprised if things work out for him there, but it wasn't really up to him.
I agree that this all hinges on Mahomes. If he's ready to step into the starter role then this trade was a huge win for KC. But if he's a bust or if he struggles out of the gate next year it's going to look bad.
- Mar 27, 2006
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This. you can't sit on a first round QB for long without people getting very restless, especially if you trade up to get him. This is KC betting that Smith will revert back to what's been his average, going forward, which is a slightly above average QB. He had a breakout year this year, but the Chiefs (who would be in a better position than anyone to know) seem not to think he's not worth keeping around. They also avoid the QB controversy that would have definitely been a big topic for next year. This seems like a good deal for KC. I can't understand why Washington would agree to it, though.
Because the franchise is run by a bunch of morons. They had three years to figure out what to do with Kirk Cousins and opted to do nothing until it was too late to do anything other than let him walk with no immediate compensation. Either he's your guy and you give him a contract extension that's only going to get more expensive the longer you wait or he's not your guy and you make a trade and go get the QB you want. Instead, their contingency plan was to give away a third round pick and a good young corner on a cheap deal for a QB who is competent but not good enough to elevate a team by himself AND then give him an extension that's probably worth more than what it would have cost to just extend Cousins two years ago. It's hard to overstate just how badly they've botched things.
Not sold on Mahomes ... yet. He was injury-prone at Tech and made a lot fo bone-headed decisions. I can see the Chiefs taking a step back next year.
With most teams I would agree. But he has a pretty good group of coaches handling his development and Andy Reid has shown an ability to tailor an offense to accentuate a QB's strengths and hide his weaknesses. I think they'll be OK, and they can lean on a good running game and defense early next season while he gets his feet underneath him.
- Mar 27, 2006
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agreed. I just don't see how Alex Smith is much of an upgrade over Cousins. He takes care of the ball a little better, maybe. But not nearly as prolific of a passer. And he's what, 4 years older? Even if they're a wash, they still gave up a 3rd round pick and a good slot cornerback to keep the status quo.(which is a 9-7 team at best) I don't get it at all. It's buffoonery in the highest order.
I don't hate Smith at all but I didn't think he took enough deep shots until 2017 because Mahomes was behind him. I was blown away that first game at New England. 10 yards per attempt, when his career number is 6.9.
