Alex Smith still can't have a Kansas City Chiefs playbook

Jed Jacobsohn

Alex Smith is the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback. It's been made official by both sides. So why then can't Smith get a copy of Andy Reid's playbook?

I don't know all the rules about what players can and can't do right now from a football standpoint. They can work out ... but not with the team. They can talk to the coaches ... but not about football at certain times. They can study the playbook ... if the team could give them a playbook. Lots of rules that were collectively bargained by the players and owners. (In other words, don't complain because each side had a chance to change things.)

All that said, check out this exchange between Reid and reporters at the NFL owners meetings (comments via the Chiefs).

Q: What are your early impressions talking football with [Alex Smith]?

Reid: "You know what, by the rules you can't do much. So we've got to wait for April 1 to kind of load him up with that. But I know what he's all about."

Q: Can you give him a playbook?

Reid: "Can't give him a playbook. No. That's hard. That's hard on him."

Q: He can study what you've done other places?

Reid: "Yeah, he can do that. I think he has a pretty good idea. I'm going to tell you, there are a lot of similarities between the two offenses."

Looks like they're following the rules but I gotta say this: If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'. I hope Alex Smith has a playbook despite the rules. (Yeah, that's right: I'd break the rules!)

Reid emphasized multiple times that the offense Smith had in San Francisco and the one he'll have in Kansas City are similar. Reid said: "He's really had a touch of our offense, some of the numbering system is similar to what Jim [Harbaugh] had him doing." And: "Our offenses are similar. So there are things I can take and use from that." And again: "Our offenses are similar."

Now for a longer explanation: "But what he was doing [in San Francisco], the terminology will be very similar, scheme for the most part will be very similar. I don't think it will be a big transition. We can't do anything with him right now until April 1. It's killing him. And obviously Doug Pederson andMatt Nagy are sitting there and wanting to get their hands on him, but you can't do that. I think it'll be fairly smooth. He's a brilliant kid too, so don't think it'll be too tough."

Are you getting anxious to see how the Alex Smith era will turn out?

More reading:

Why Chase Daniel? Andy Reid explains

Chiefs interested in a pass rusher?

Chiefs plan at OT is confusing

Reid calls Jon Baldwin a 'tweener'