Incumbent quarterback
Matt Cassel, once acquired in a similar deal by former GM Scott Pioli, is expected to be released by the
Chiefs any day now. New GM John Dorsey and coach
Andy Reid are starting over from scratch at the quarterback position, with Smith the first big piece in place.
Don't be surprised if they add another quarterback through the draft, but this trade is an admission that no rookie quarterback was ready to start right away.
With his smarts and his underrated mobility, Smith makes a lot of sense as an
Andy Reid-style quarterback. He can help the
Chiefs compete right away because the team has talent on defense and some pieces in place offensively like
Jamaal Charles,
Jon Baldwin and possibly
Dwayne Bowe, who sounds likely to get the franchise tag. The downside for Smith: He doesn't have
Jim Harbaugh to guide him anymore.
Smith had a ton of ups and downs in San Francisco. Now he gets what he wanted most: A fresh start and an organization that truly wants him.
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