Wednesday 31 January 2018 11:52, UK
The Washington Redskins have traded Kendall Fuller and a 2018 third round draft pick to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kirk Cousins’ exit from Washington was all-but wrapped up as the team made a move to acquire Smith coming off his best season in the NFL. The Redskins gave up top cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to secure the services of the 33-year-old.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith will also sign a four-year deal with his new club, netting him $23.5 million per year and $71 million in guaranteed money. While it is a significant deal, it would have cost Washington $34.5 million to keep Cousins for one more year on the franchise tag, and he’ll command a larger contract than Smith’s in free agency.
Smith is no stranger to trades, as he joined the Chiefs from the San Francisco 49ers for two second-round draft choices in 2013. He also likely saw a move coming this offseason, after watching his own team give up two first-round picks and a third rounder to select quarterback Patrick Mahomes II 10th overall in last year’s draft.
Despite leading the team to the playoffs in four of his five seasons in Kansas City and coming off his best season with 4,042 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and a 104.7 passer rating, Smith was simply holding the fort until head coach Andy Reid was willing to put his faith in Mahomes. Now, the Chiefs’ rocket-armed youngster will step in.
With Cousins at the helm in Washington, the Redskins have gone 9-7, 8-7-1 and 7-9 over the last three seasons with one playoff appearance (and one loss). For the Chiefs, Smith had 50 wins and only 26 losses, and has not been involved in a losing season since 2010.
Washington will feel set at quarterback moving forward, but it was at the expense of a young and impressive starter in Fuller, and a third-round selection that could have been valuable in another strong draft class. Many will also argue Washington should have simply handed Cousins a similar contract a number of years ago, but now the 29-year-old will hit free agency.
What’s next for Cousins?
According to Schefter, six other teams showed interest in Smith before this move. Will those same six show interest in Cousins? There are a number of teams desperate for quarterbacks this offseason, and the favourites are likely to be the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos.
Additionally, the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins could be in the mix.
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