The Kansas City Chiefs Sign Center Wade Smith

by Chris Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 2:45 PM CDT

Smith will be one of many new offensive linemen. From the mother ship:

Smith (6-4, 296) has worked primarily at tackle during his NFL career, but is expected to compete at center with Kansas City. He played in 14 games as a reserve offensive lineman and on special teams for the N.Y. Jets in 2007. He spent two seasons (2006-07) with the Jets, appearing in 23 contests. The sixth-year pro has seen action in 45 games, opening 18 contests at left tackle. Prior to joining the Jets, Smith spent three campaigns (2003-05) with Miami after entering the NFL as a third-round draft choice (78th overall) of the Dolphins in 2003.

Smith started all 16 games at left tackle for the Dolphins as a rookie, earning consensus all-rookie honors. He joined tackles Richmond Webb and Todd Wade as only the third rookie tackle in franchise history to open all 16 games. Smith spent the entire 2005 campaign on injured reserve with Miami after suffering a forearm injury in training camp. He attended camp with the Dolphins in 2006, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.

The Memphis product was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at left tackle for the Tigers. Smith was named second-team All-Conference USA as a senior. He led Lake Highland High School of Lake Highland, Texas to the regional title in ‘98.

So the Chiefs love Miami Dolphin linemen cast aways and they'll sign a Jet even if Herm didn't coach him.

All kidding aside, this is another prototypical player Herm Edwards said the Chiefs were going to pick up -- young, second contract-ish (not a word, I know) and not necessarily a starter.

Smith's name came up a couple times last week when he was checking out various teams. He chose the Chiefs presumably for the chance to start.

Smith is a utility type linemen at best so still expect the Chiefs to be looking at centers in the draft.

Note: I erroneously reported last week that Smith spent time with the Jets in 2003 while Herm Edwards was there. That was incorrect.

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It seems like

a good pick also because of his experience at the tackle position. This will make for a okay mix during training camp.

by ilamuku on Apr 21, 2008 3:10 PM CDT reply actions

Why Center

I know that kcchiefs.com reported that he would compete for the job at center, but why? Has he ever played center in his life?

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 21, 2008 3:13 PM CDT reply actions

Not sure exactly

He’s been referred to mainly as a tackle in my research and occassionaly as a center.

He played a bit of tight end in college, just like Brian Waters.

And guess who beat Smith out for the starting LT job in Miami in 2004? Why Damion McIntosh!

by Chris Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

The good thing is that he can play multiple positions so he can fit in where we might need him too.

Arrowhead Addict

by ArrowheadZach on Apr 21, 2008 3:51 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed, Zach

Might as well start getting these guys on the team that can do more than one thing.

by Joel Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Sigh...

So Carl Peterson’s idea of fixing our offensive line (of which McIntosh’s play was a key problem) is to bring in a free agent who’s not as good as McIntosh? And the Jets’ line last year was horrible.

Why do I have this image of Carl Peterson as being the kind of guy who’d be ecstatic at finding an old moosehead at a garage sale for $5? He likes these guys because they’re cheap…not because they’re necessarily useful or good.

It’s frustrating watching an abrasive accountant run your football team.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Apr 21, 2008 4:31 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Free agency or "Flea market agency?"

Love the moosehead analogy, U. Nothing against Wade Smith. Hope he’s a gem. Does a team benefit from having a “bad cop” in the GM role? Does that abrasiveness, as you’ve so aptly put it, polish the gems or wear them down to the point they want to leave? A lack of awareness regarding his leadership skills and what it takes to make people want to play for the Chiefs make Carl a little rough around the edges.

by sunny D on Apr 21, 2008 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Were you watching any of the games last year?

Other than giving up a sack here or there to the opponent’s pass rushing DE or roid freak Merriman, McIntosh performed fairly well…he wasn’t great, but I disagree that his play was a key problem…when the ball was snapped the right side of our line was as strong as wet tissue paper. Niswanger and Svitek both played better than Welbourn/Terri-bley, but even with them in, I think the right side was the key problem.

by PVChiefsfan on Apr 22, 2008 7:08 AM CDT up reply actions

The problem with

these guys is we do not have a proven o-line coach to coach them up. And I agree bringing in a guy who Mac has already beat out once, what is the point? Maybe the guy has improved who knows.

by Eric Allen on Apr 21, 2008 4:42 PM CDT reply actions

Abrasiveness

Sunny D,

I’ve got no problem with somebody being abrasive or tight with a buck, so long as they produce results. Jimmy Johnson wasn’t the easiest guy in the world to deal with, especially at contract time (ask Darrin Smith) but he knew how to scout talent and he produced results. Peterson hasn’t shown he can do either of those things consistently (or recently). Players are willing to deal with a GM who’s harsh in contract negotiations if he’s winning because they want to win too…players aren’t willing to deal with a GM who’s harsh in contract negotiations whose team hasn’t won a playoff game in over a decade because chances are he’s just an asshole.

I’d love it if Wade Smith turned out to be a gem too. Chances are that he isn’t though. He got beat out for a job by a guy who sucked for us. He was a special teamer on a Jets team last year that desperately needed help on the offensive line. If he starts here it’s only because the rest of the potential starters are so awful. I also couldn’t help but notice that Pittsburgh apparently re-signed Max Starks (a young guy who has started for a very good football team) to a one year deal without so much as a sniff from Peterson. That leads me to believe that Peterson is only interested in going the cheap scrub route rather than the up-and-coming youngster route.

I seriously think he gets the axe immediately after the 2008 season.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Apr 21, 2008 5:55 PM CDT reply actions

Max Starks

He was a transitional tag guy as well. Not sure what the tender was on him. Might have been too steep for the Chiefs.

by Joel Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 6:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Too much money

for a guy who lost his starting job prior to the ‘07 season.

by Chris Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes, But...

He got a one-year tender at $6.85 million. As a one year salary that’s definitely too high for us to pay him, but he might have been willing to take less money per year to get a longer deal and a shot at starting. It was at least worth investigating. He also got replaced by a pretty decent player in Colon so that’s not to say that he actually sucked.

Oh well, at least Steelers fans are unhappy with the contract, for whatever that’s worth. And they’re right…making a reserve lineman the second-highest paid player on their team after the QB is insane.

http://www.thescoreboards.com/forums/pittsburgh-steelers/71700-starks-re-signs.html

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Apr 21, 2008 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions

The off-season isn't over

I can’t imagine they would go into the season like that.

Something’s gotta give.

by Joel Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Or maybe they were hoping

someone would sign him to an offer sheet and they could get the picks. And now they’re getting burned on it.

by Joel Thorman on Apr 21, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Who?

primetime,

Are you talking about Jared Allen or Max Starks? If you’re referring to Max Starks, he was only a transition player. All the Steelers had was right to first refusal, so if they declined to match they didn’t get any compensation for him. I guess they figured they really needed a backup tackle this year, but honestly it seems like a pretty stupid contract to me. At least they didn’t do it for multiple years. That would have been completely insane.

Supporting the lesser of two evils is still supporting something evil.

by UCrawford on Apr 21, 2008 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions