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The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be the "most interested" in San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith, according to a new report from Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports. Cole examines the decision the 49ers will eventually have to make with Alex Smith, who is due $8.5 million this year, and the belief is that Smith will remain on the team and become the highest paid backup quarterback in NFL history (unlikely) or that he'll be traded (likely). One of the two options. Jim Harbaugh said publicly at the NFL Combine this week that Smith is unlikely to be released.
The best option of those for the 49ers appears to be a trade and the Chiefs appear to be the most interested team.
The Andy Reid connection is one we've talked about but it's a big one. ESPN's Trent Dilfer, who has a relationship with Alex Smith from their time together in San Francisco, said last month that Andy Reid "really likes Alex" and that last year there was a "courtship to a degree" between them. Looking at this on the surface there's plenty of reason to think Smith-to-KC has a shot of happening.
Would I be in favor of it? Sure. I keep coming back to what I've been saying: I don't want whatever the Chiefs do in free agency to affect their plan to draft a quarterback in the first or second round. I like Alex Smith and I would welcome him as a Chief. But he is, relatively speaking, a short-term decision. I'm looking for a 10-year decision. Carl Peterson was recently quoted in the Star talking about his preference for the "seasoned veteran quarterback" and that's exactly what I'm talking about. King Carl held the throne for two decades so we never saw that young, successful quarterback. I'm dying for it. I need it bad!
My ideal scenario would be Smith signing a deal to become the immediate starter in Kansas City, the Chiefs drafting a quarterback in the first or second round, and then opening up that competition in year two. That gives you a quarterback who you can win with now and hopefully one you can win with down the road.
Should I go ahead and put my GM application in now?
One key point to remember in all of this is that this is free agency where professionals are paid to lie and mislead people. We've been burned before thinking the Chiefs were interested before learning it was all bullshit. I don't think that's the case here. I think the interest is legit. But this is your reminder that folks do have motivation to lie as free agency gets closer.
David Fucillo of Niners Nation recently broke down the Alex Smith situation. Take a look at the video below.
More coverage:
John Dorsey speaks at the NFL Combine
Which of the QBs have short hands?
Luke Joeckel likes KC ... and the barbecue