San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith Could Turn Around Kansas City Chiefs

Alex Smith will be a hot commodity this offseason. Turning in his best season as a pro, he was demoted after being sidelined by a concussion.

He did nothing wrong. Then again, neither did Colin Kaepernick. 

After the 49ers made it clear Kaepernick was their man, Smith was left high and dry. His 70.2 completion percentage and 104.1 passer rating would sit on the bench the remainder of the season.

Now, he’s going to demand a release or, most likely, be traded. 

He could very well go to the Kansas City Chiefs. New head coach Andy Reid has previously expressed interest in Smith while in Philadelphia.

The current Chiefs quarterbacks, Brady Quinn and Matt Cassel, have been subpar. Last year, they combined for eight touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Smith, on the other hand, had 13 touchdowns and five interceptions in a shortened season.

Reid is known for bringing out the best in his quarterbacks. Donovan McNabb flourished in Reid’s system, Kevin Kolb became a solid passer and Michael Vick was able to rejuvenate his career.

Trent Dilfer told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle that Reid “wants to change a little bit offensively.”

With Smith, the Chiefs will have a proven quarterback and someone who can immediately impact the team. It’s not crazy to think this will be a winning team again.

He clearly won’t have the skill position talent he had with San Francisco, but Smith will adapt. He’ll still have Jamaal Charles to throw to out of the backfield. 

If the Chiefs can re-sign Dwayne Bowe, then that combination could thrive together. Bowe has been consistent his entire career but lacked a quarterback with the skill set and accuracy of Smith.

Despite struggles early in his career, Smith has made strides toward becoming the player he was selected first overall for. He is a professional and his presence alone will spark excitement in 2013.

Coming off a 2-14 season, the Chiefs still sent six players to the Pro Bowl. Four of the selections played defense. With young and proven talent on the defensive side of the ball, clearly the No. 1 need is quarterback, someone capable of being a leader.

Smith can come in and make this team a contender. The Quinn and Cassel experiment failed, so it’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter in Kansas City. The title of the chapter: Alex Smith.