Chiefs should wait until after the NFL Draft to extend Alex Smith's contract

I was thinking about this the other day.

The Kansas City Chiefs are probably going to give Alex Smith a contract extension at some point. I don't know for how much or for how long but Clark Hunt, John Dorsey and others have acknowledged that they're talking with Smith's camp about a new deal. So it's probably coming at some point and probably soon.

But here's the thing. The Chiefs should wait until after the draft for any such extension.

I say that because of the small possibility that one of the draft's top quarterback falls to the Chiefs at the 23rd pick. Sure, it's unlikely Johnny Manziel or Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles falls to the Chiefs ... but what if they did? What if a quarterback stumbled down the board, fell into the Chiefs lap and they had a year left on Smith's contract before moving to the new guy? I could think of worse situations.

This decision should trump any need for cap space -- and thus a Smith extension before the draft to create room -- in the weeks before in free agency.

The Chiefs GM, John Dorsey, was with the Packers when they chose Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. That was a unique situation but having that flexibility worked out for them. The Chiefs should give themselves the same flexibility in the 2014 NFL Draft.

The draft, contracts and everything about the NFL is about giving yourself the most and the best opportunities. The Chiefs should wait until after the draft to extend Smith so they can maximize their opportunities even if the scenario is unlikely.