The Arizona Cardinals are exploring a trade for Alex Smith, the 49ers current backup QB.
Are the Cardinals the team that all but has a deal done for Alex Smith then? Most signs point to no. The rumored team is most likely the Kansas City Chiefs.
Both the Cardinals and the Chiefs would make sense for Smith. Kansas City makes more sense in a trade however. It has already been reported that Kansas City is expected to cut current QB Matt Cassel after a number of disappointing years.
Most importantly, the Chiefs do not play in the NFC West with the 49ers. The Cardinals do.
For Alex Smith to be traded to the Cardinals, Arizona would likely have to blow San Francisco away with an offer. After a QB debacle over the last three seasons that has seen the Cardinals start Kevin Kolb, Jon Skelton, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Lindley, Max Hall, and Derek Anderson, Arizona might be desperate enough.
According to NFL Network’s Marc Sessler, new Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is impressed by Smith’s, “experience, intelligence and talents.” Arizona also sees Smith’s early career struggles as a product of the coaching carousel he suffered through his first six seasons in the league.
In order for the Cardinals to trade for Alex Smith there are a lot of hurdles to clear. Do they have the pieces to make an offer that the 49ers feel comfortable enough with to trade within the division? If the Cardinals are willing to overpay, the answer may be yes.
We won’t know until the league year starts on March 12.
Do you think the Cardinals are the mystery team that has a deal done to trade for Alex Smith?