Andy Reid went on the media circuit at the Pro Bowl this week reaffirming that Alex Smith was his quarterback next season. Reid seemed surprised that his wishy-washy response after the playoff game regarding Alex’s future turned into a little controversy in Kansas City. In multiple interviews in the media this week, Reid squashed that and made it clear that Alex is his guy.
The Kansas City Star’s Terez Paylor was in Orlando at the Pro Bowl this week and he got Alex’s side of things. Turns out, they’re exactly like Reid’s side of things. Alex told Terez that he got the impression in his exit interview and again talking with Reid during Pro Bowl week that both he and Reid would both be back in 2017.
If the Chiefs had a young quarterback on the bench - with some actual experience, sorry, Tyler Bray - you could talk me into believing this could go the way of Donovan McNabb.
Back in 2010 after the Eagles lost to the Cowboys in the playoffs, Reid was insistent that McNabb was his quarterback. He was insistent for months after the season. Then, out of the blue, an Easter weekend shocker when the Eagles traded McNabb. No one saw it coming.
I’m not saying that’s what will happen to Alex here ... I’m saying you never know what Big Red is thinking.
One thing that makes me think of McNabb is what Reid said in the Star piece. “There won’t be the huge jumps” he said regarding Alex’s improvement from this year to next. Don’t the Chiefs need a big improvement? Two straight losses in the Divisional round shows me the Chiefs are a clear step behind the truly elite teams. They can’t do the same thing, right?
I’m not saying it’s not worth giving it another shot with Alex. In fact, my plan would be to do just that and draft a quarterback that can compete with him down the road. That’s something Alex recognized as a possibility in that Star piece.