Kansas City Chiefs Should Select QB In The Draft

The Kansas City Chiefs have an interesting dilemma on their hands and how they address it will determine the future of the franchise. That dilemma is of course what they should do at the quarterback position.

They have a very capable quarterback in Alex Smith running the show but how much longer can he carry that load. Smith is 30 years old and we all know what type of player he is. He is a game manager and not the type of quarterback that will stretch the field and strike fear into opposing defenses.

Smith has never topped 3,400 yards passing and has never thrown for more than 25 touchdowns. Much of that has to do with the run-heavy offenses he has played in but is also a glimpse in to his limitations. He plays within himself and is rarely the reason why the Chiefs lose a game.

The question lingers for the Chiefs of whether to go all in with Alex Smith as their quarterback or to perhaps find his replacement early on in the draft. The Chiefs have had one of the NFL’s best defenses in recent years and that has seen them transformed from a division doormat to a consistent contender.

Smith has ridden that defense and the running game to two consecutive second place finishes in the AFC West and a playoff berth in 2013. Could another QB have had similar results? The answer to that is yes. The Chiefs made the playoffs and won the division with an equally average QB in Matt Cassel. In fact their numbers are eerily similar in both of those playoff seasons.

Credit: Staff Writer Khaled Abdallah

The Chiefs draft strategy will be determined by how they answer the Alex Smith dilemma. If they think that they can win a Super Bowl with Smith at the helm then they will look for offensive line reinforcements and try to add more weapons to that roster. If Andy Reid and co. feel that Smith is not the answer then they will go for a quarterback early on in the draft.

Players like James Winston and Marcus Mariota will certainly be gone by the time the 18th overall pick rolls around but there are other capable players available. Brett Hundley of UCLA and Bryce petty of Baylor University are both intriguing options for Kansas City. Garrett Grayson of Colorado State is also a sleeper pick that should be available after round three.

The NFL Draft is always unpredictable in that we do not know what sort of trades will go down. The Chiefs may surprise everyone and trade up to select one of the aforementioned players earlier in the draft than expected. Regardless of whether they choose to look for a quarterback in the first few rounds or late in the draft it is clear that they must look for a replacement for Alex Smith.

That transition may not happen for a few years but now is the time to select a player that can either step in right away or be groomed under Andy Reid. Read has a proven track record of taking flawed quarterbacks and maximizing their potential and there is no reason to believe that he cannot do that with one of these rookie quarterbacks. It may take more time then some Chiefs fans would like but his ability to do so will determine the franchise’s course for the next decade.

Next: Kansas City Chiefs Smart To Keep Derrick Johnson

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