By Liz Clarke and Mark Maske January 30 at 10:34 PM
Unable to strike a long-term contract for two years’ running with Kirk Cousins, the Washington Redskins have solved their uncertainty at quarterback by trading for Kansas City’s Alex Smith, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
The move, which was first reported by the Kansas City Star, will bring the 33-year-old quarterback to Washington. It is expected to be finalized Wednesday. Under the agreement in principle, Smith, who had one year remaining on his contract with Kansas City, will sign a four-year contract extension. It is unclear what Washington will send Kansas City in return, but it will no doubt be less than the roughly $35 million that would be owed Cousins if the team were to use the franchise tag on him for a third straight year to keep him a Redskin.
The move means that Cousins, 29, who had shown no interest in striking a long-term deal with the Redskins, will get what he has long sought: a chance to test his value on the NFL’s free agent market and have a choice in his employer for the first time in his career.
Good riddance. A QB who can't win playoff games is useless. Alex Smith has no such issues.
“He was at that time the smartest player in the league. We did everything we could to try to eliminate him from the play. We knew if we didn’t neutralize him, then we had less of a chance of winning.” - John Hannah on Chris Hanburger
What I want to know is, what was Andy Reid thinking? I understand Smith struggled and maybe you felt you went as far as you could with him, But, Is it worth giving him away leaving you now vulnerable at the QB position? don't get it, the bright side is this may open the door back up for Kaep to get back into the thick
of it provided he gets out of the owners dog house (doubtful) Oh well dumb move Andy"
Cousins?? since you won't be needing his services now I know a roster dying for a back up QB what do you want in trade for him?
I do like Alex Smith what I don’t like is the trade. I don’t think we got better; we lost a 3rd and a good CB and didn’t really create any cap space to sign a Zac Brown. Look at KC, they get a CB and a 3rd and create cap space to better their D. I’m guessing this was the market cost for Smith and they had to give that much…but why? There are a lot of QB’s that are going to be available and you have Colt….Que the Kurt bashing!!
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
TexasCowboy wrote:What I want to know is, what was Andy Reid thinking? I understand Smith struggled and maybe you felt you went as far as you could with him, But, Is it worth giving him away leaving you now vulnerable at the QB position? don't get it, the bright side is this may open the door back up for Kaep to get back into the thick
of it provided he gets out of the owners dog house (doubtful) Oh well dumb move Andy"
Cousins?? since you won't be needing his services now I know a roster dying for a back up QB what do you want in trade for him?
Um KC got a starting CB, a 3rd, and cleared 17 mil in cap space! If Mahomes doesn't workout Reid can always trade him to the Skins!!
As for Kirk being a backup....
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
Nobody with any sense, thinks this was a good deal for the Redskins ... given who is making the decisions here, it's really no surprise either
I'm glad we have a good NFL QB but losing a young, really good CB, is just really dumb
I'm glad they brought in a good QB but why did we have to lose a really good, very young player at a very important position - STUPID
Until recently, Snyder & Allen have made a lot of really bad decisions - nobody with any sense believes this franchise will get better under their guidance Snyder's W/L record = 45% (80-96) - Snyder/Allen = 41% (59-84-1)
SkinsJock wrote:Nobody with any sense, thinks this was a good deal for the Redskins ... given who is making the decisions here, it's really no surprise either
I'm glad we have a good NFL QB but losing a young, really good CB, is just really dumb
I'm glad they brought in a good QB but why did we have to lose a really good, very young player at a very important position - STUPID
Maybe we can make up for it with a sign and trade w Denver.
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I think that Alex Smith with the right franchise is a really good NFL QB - not sure that we are that good a deal for him
I just don't like giving up a really good, really young CB - STUPID
Until recently, Snyder & Allen have made a lot of really bad decisions - nobody with any sense believes this franchise will get better under their guidance Snyder's W/L record = 45% (80-96) - Snyder/Allen = 41% (59-84-1)
SkinsJock wrote:Nobody with any sense, thinks this was a good deal for the Redskins ... given who is making the decisions here, it's really no surprise either
I'm glad we have a good NFL QB but losing a young, really good CB, is just really dumb
I'm glad they brought in a good QB but why did we have to lose a really good, very young player at a very important position - STUPID
Maybe we can make up for it with a sign and trade w Denver.
I was hoping that as well but after reading this its not going to happen...
Cousins is not under contract to the Redskins for the 2018 season, so he can’t be traded like Smith, who was signed through the 2018 season, was. So as the situation stands right now that is a non-starter. As was discussed over the past days, the only way the Redskins could trade Cousins would be to apply either the franchise tag or the transition tag and have him sign it. That would put Cousins under contract to the Redskins for one year and they could have worked out a deal with another team.
But part of the problem is money. The Redskins will have about $35 million in salary cap space after Smith’s $17 million cap number factors into the equation. The tags go against the cap immediately so the $35 million for the franchise tag or the $29 million for transition tag would have created a cap squeeze. For example, they would have been unable to use any cap space to lock up their own free agents, players like Zach Brown.
The cap hit would go away after a trade was executed but even so there is another major sticking point. Any sign and trade deal would require Cousins’ cooperation and he now has no incentive to cooperate. He might have gone along with it to ensure that he got to a new destination this year. If he didn’t cooperate, he could have remained in Washington on a tag for a third straight year.
But now, the threat of forcing Cousins to spend another year in limbo is off the table. If they did tag Cousins, he could simply sign the tag and say he’s looking forward to offseason workouts. That would put the Redskins in a sticky situation with both Smith and Cousins under contract.
On top of that, why would Cousins agree to a trade, something that would take players and/or draft picks away from the team he is about to join? There were a lot of obstacles to executing a tag and trade before the Smith trade. After the deal, they become insurmountable. The Redskins will have to settle for the 2019 third-round compensatory pick they will get when Cousins signs with a new team.
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
DEHog wrote:Um KC got a starting CB, a 3rd, and cleared 17 mil in cap space! If Mahomes doesn't workout Reid can always trade him to the Skins!!
As for Kirk being a backup....
You mean starting QB not CB, yes they may have got an extra 3rd rd pick I just want to know who this mysterious superman is that they got to replace Smith as
the starter? Now, as for Cousins? his only legit shot at being a starter is in Cleveland, if I am his agent I avoid it like the plaque, No matter how much $$$$ they
throw at me. seems the jobs at starters is pretty full, so if it comes down to keeping your job in the NFL or seeking employment in the CFL
his best bet is to be a backup somewhere and I know a roster that needs 1 bad
DEHog wrote:Um KC got a starting CB, a 3rd, and cleared 17 mil in cap space! If Mahomes doesn't workout Reid can always trade him to the Skins!!
As for Kirk being a backup....
You mean starting QB not CB, yes they may have got an extra 3rd rd pick I just want to know who this mysterious superman is that they got to replace Smith as
the starter? Now, as for Cousins? his only legit shot at being a starter is in Cleveland, if I am his agent I avoid it like the plaque, No matter how much $$$$ they
throw at me. seems the jobs at starters is pretty full, so if it comes down to keeping your job in the NFL or seeking employment in the CFL
his best bet is to be a backup somewhere and I know a roster that needs 1 bad
Who is the starting QB KC got? As for Cousins starting...They are serveral teams....Denver, Cleveland, NYJ, Jax, Ari, and Minn...I'd bet money that he is the day 1 starter for one of these teams. Reports says there were no less than 5 team interested in Alex Smith...Better worry about the QB of yours!!
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
DEHog wrote:Um KC got a starting CB, a 3rd, and cleared 17 mil in cap space! If Mahomes doesn't workout Reid can always trade him to the Skins!!
As for Kirk being a backup....
You mean starting QB not CB, yes they may have got an extra 3rd rd pick I just want to know who this mysterious superman is that they got to replace Smith as
the starter? Now, as for Cousins? his only legit shot at being a starter is in Cleveland, if I am his agent I avoid it like the plaque, No matter how much $$$$ they
throw at me. seems the jobs at starters is pretty full, so if it comes down to keeping your job in the NFL or seeking employment in the CFL
his best bet is to be a backup somewhere and I know a roster that needs 1 bad
Who is the starting QB KC got? As for Cousins starting...They are serveral teams....Denver, Cleveland, NYJ, Jax, Ari, and Minn...I'd bet money that he is the day 1 starter for one of these teams. Reports says there were no less than 5 team interested in Alex Smith...Better worry about the QB of yours!!
It would be a huge irony if KC also ended up in Cleveland.
My guess: Cousins signs with Jacksonville, Minnesota, or Buffalo. Browns are (still) rebuilding. Jets are awful.
Alex Smith?? Why? Does Bruce Allen / Dan Snyder imagine that the Redskins are ready to win now? Why pay Smith so much money to play for a below-average team? Why give up a fine, young, DB?
welch wrote:My guess: Cousins signs with Jacksonville, Minnesota, or Buffalo. Browns are (still) rebuilding. Jets are awful.
Alex Smith?? Why? Does Bruce Allen / Dan Snyder imagine that the Redskins are ready to win now? Why pay Smith so much money to play for a below-average team? Why give up a fine, young, DB?
For what it's worth Cowherd says he has worked out a deal with Denver...Denver is my guess either way. Don't think for a second Kirk doesn't want to go somewhere he can win right away. Denver, Minn and Jax fit....Cleveland and NYJ don't.
"Sean Taylor is hands down the best athlete I've ever coached it's not even close" Gregg Williams 2005 Mini-Camp
Um KC got a starting CB, a 3rd, and cleared 17 mil in cap space! If Mahomes doesn't workout Reid can always trade him to the Skins!! 
