After botching contract talks in 2015 and paying top dollar for temporary fixes the next two years, Washington faced massive uncertainty at quarterback heading into the 2018 season and had few options, none of them appealing, to stabilize the team's most important position.
They had no young quarterback in their developmental ranks. They had a 31-year-old backup, Colt McCoy, under contract. And their starter, Kirk Cousins, had waited since the day Washington chose him as a fourth-round insurance policy in the 2012 NFL draft to become a free agent and get the chance to choose his employer for the first time in his pro career. Washington’s lone ironclad option for ensuring his return in 2018 was via a third NFL franchise tag that meant paying Cousins a staggering $34.5 million for one more year of service.
With Tuesday's agreement in principle to trade for Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith, Washington extricated itselves from a bad situation of its own making. And in shepherding the trade through, Washington President Bruce Allen proved much like an Olympic gymnast who stumbles through his routine but sticks the landing. The initial judging will be harsh, full of fault-finding and second-guessing. Chiefly:
• Is Smith, at 33, truly an upgrade over the 29-year-old Cousins?
• And why trade away 22-year-old cornerback Kendall Fuller, the team's dynamic defensive playmaker and one of the few draft picks Washington has gotten right in recent years?
But Allen, who has gotten much wrong since joining Washington as owner Daniel Snyder's most trusted football adviser in December 2009, did well to salvage what appeared a no-win situation.
The trade calls for Washington to send Fuller and a third-round 2018 draft pick to Kansas City in exchange for Smith, who had one year remaining on his contract. Washington tacked on a four-year deal that puts Smith under contract for five years at a cost of $111 million, of which $71 million is guaranteed.
Neither Allen, Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams nor coach Jay Gruden was available for comment. They are barred from speaking publicly about the deal until it becomes official March 14, the start of the new league year.
But Washington fans and teammates had plenty to say the moment details trickled out Tuesday night, first reported by the Kansas City Star. The reaction was emotionally charged, with Washington safety D.J. Swearinger, the squad's defensive captain, posting an expletive-laced tirade over the decision to trade Fuller before later deleting the tweet and posting another welcoming Smith to the squad. Meanwhile, Washington fans squawked, screeched and debated throughout Wednesday morning on sports-talk radio stations.
Fuller, for his part, learned his fate via social media rather than from Allen or his agent but voiced enthusiasm over joining the Chiefs, who have won the AFC West the past two years.
Though none of the principals will comment publicly on the machinations of the deal, it was the result of intense bargaining. Washington was competing against two to five other teams to land Smith — essentially the same teams that are eyeing Cousins once he becomes a free agent — according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. Giving up Fuller is not believed to have been part of Washington’s opening offer. According to one person familiar with the process, Washington had to strengthen its offer to clinch the deal.
Given the uncertainty they faced had the trade failed and Cousins departed, Washington improved its hand for the 2018 season after missing the playoffs the past two seasons and stumbling to a 7-9 finish (and going 1-5 in the NFC East) last year.
Snyder was never fully invested in Cousins, and many fans mirrored the owner's ambivalence throughout his tenure. But Cousins topped 4,000 passing yards in each of his three seasons as a starter, never missed a start, led Washington to the NFC East title in 2015 and arguably played his best in 2017 considering challenges that included no running game to speak of, a 27th-ranked scoring defense, the loss of his most reliable receivers and a hobbled offensive line that in stretches lacked four of five starters.
Skeptics who view Cousins as "just a guy" cited his poor performances in must-win games. Believers cited clutch throws, improved improvisational skill and games the team wouldn't have won without him. But no Washington executive felt he was worth $34.5 million for 16 games' work — a conundrum Allen created after failing to sign him when the price would have been far less. And Cousins showed no interest in signing a long-term deal. He was consistent about what he sought: an NFL team that believed in him and had a history of stability and a winning tradition. Washington was not that, so it was inevitable and overdue that the team let Cousins depart.
In Smith, Washington gets a 13-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowl honoree who is coming off his best statistical season (26 touchdowns, five interceptions, NFL-best 104.7 passer rating).
In evaluating whether he makes the team better or worse, a head-to-head comparison is irrelevant. The relevant comparison is Smith under a long-term deal to Cousins under a one-year, $34.5 million deal. Gruden himself made plain that he was weary of the uncertainty.
Said former NFL executive Joe Banner: "It had reached a point where [Washington] weren't comfortable with the [$34.5 million] contract. They had to get a quarterback that gives them a chance to compete and win for the next two, three, four years. I actually think they got the best guy that's available that fits that description."
According to Banner and another former NFL executive, Smith is held in higher regard among NFL coaches and talent evaluators than he is by the typical fan or media member. In that way, he's reminiscent of Cousins, whose stature was higher among NFL players and coaches than in Washington.
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who has squared off against Cousins twice each season, places him among the NFL's top-10 quarterbacks.
"His numbers and statistics don't lie," Jenkins said of Cousins during an interview Wednesday in Minneapolis ahead of the Super Bowl. "He's been a great quarterback for them. He made plays. I think he's a talented quarterback. He's got a talented arm, smart at the line of scrimmage, knows how to make adjustments. I think he'll do well on the market."
As for Smith, most attribute his rocky NFL start after being chosen first overall in the 2005 NFL draft to having five different offensive coordinators during his first five seasons. Since playing under Chiefs coach Andy Reid, Smith has proved extremely coachable, executing plays to the letter.
Eagles Coach Doug Pederson, who worked with Smith for three seasons in Kansas City, said during Wednesday's news conference in Minneapolis that he hated the prospect of facing Smith twice each season as an NFC East opponent.
"He's a pro's pro," Pederson said of Smith. "He's going to come in, and he's going to demand perfection from the guys he's working with. I'm excited to have him in our division and be able to coach against him."
The 6-foot-4, 217-pound Smith is also durable, starting 76 of 80 regular-season games the past five years, and makes a priority of fitness, proper diet and recovery. He's also a low-ego player, according to one person who knows him, who worked well with rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes — whom the Chiefs intend to start next season — and would not be rattled if Washington drafts a quarterback this April.
Banner, however, believes quarterback won't be a priority for Washington in this year's draft, given the money they're investing in Smith.
"I think they've made a decision they're going to be aggressive and try to win over the next couple years, so you wouldn't want to spend a high draft pick on a quarterback," said Banner, who spent 12 seasons as president of the Eagles and two as CEO of the Cleveland Browns. "They've declared loud and clear what their short-term plan is [via the trade]: It's to be aggressive and make the most of the time they have left with Smith."
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