Chiefs rumors: Kansas City open to trading Alex Smith in the offseason

The Kansas City Chiefs may be on the verge of a drastic change at the quarterback position with the team reportedly open to trading veteran Alex Smith in the NFL offseason paving the way for Patrick Mahomes.

Throughout much of the 2017 NFL season, there has been some growing chatter that the Kansas City Chiefs could be interested in moving Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith.

Prior to the Chiefs' AFC Wild Card matchup against the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night, Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network reported that the organization will be entertaining the idea of moving Smith during the upcoming offseason.

The Kansas City Chiefs will take the field Saturday with quarterback Alex Smith under center — one of the game's most underrated players despite holding the league's top quarterback rating.

And yet, the Chiefs are open to trading Smith this offseason, sources said, thanks in part to one of the most fervent quarterback markets in recent memory.

It was also indicated that the team would not be openly looking to move the 33-year-old, but willing to listen to offers for him around the league. Smith has been with the Chiefs since being acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in February 2013.

In his first five seasons in Kansas City, he has helped lead the team to four playoff appearances with two trips to the divisional round while winning back-to-back AFC West division titles over the last two campaigns.

However, the Chiefs made it clear that they were leaning toward possibly moving on from Smith after selecting former Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II with the 1oth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, there have been internal rumblings that Mahomes II was seen as the eventual starter down the line in the near future.

Smith still has one more year left on his on his four-year, $68 million deal that will pay him $17 million next season. Although that is a huge number to attempt to move, there could be several teams in the market for a quarterback such as the Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets that could enter the picture as potential landings spots in the coming months.

With the Chiefs bowing out in a disappointing loss in the Wildcard round at home against the Titans, this could be what pushes the front office to move away from their longtime quarterback.