Redskins: Why Alex Smith could be a short term replacement at quarterback if Kirk Cousins walks

The case against Alex Smith

Of course, there are also a number of reasons the Redskins shouldn’t go after Smith. The first, and most important, is that his postseason record is not very good. In his career, he’s 2-5 as a postseason starter, with his last win coming in 2015 against the Brian Hoyer led Houston Texans. Frankly, Smith just doesn’t have the skill set necessary to be a great postseason quarterback.

While Smith’s accuracy and decision making are both strengths, his major weakness is his ability to make downfield throws. This past year was actually one of his best in recent memory, but as the season went on, his arm ability mildly eroded and that prevented the Chiefs from running the vertical offense that had been a smash success for them in the first month of the season.

In the event that Smith is on the team, the Redskins would run a more conservative, methodical form of offense. While he doesn’t make many mistakes, he doesn’t make a lot of big, downfield, game changing plays on his own. A methodical offense won’t work entirely if the team doesn’t have a strong enough defense, as the Redskins have to be able to outscore their opponents given that they are still trying to patch some holes on defense.

There are three major points aside from Smith’s talent that are worth considering as well. The first is whether or not he’s a major upgrade over Cousins. While Smith is a regular season winner, he doesn’t have the same arm strength as Cousins. He’s a better decision maker, but less dynamic. That can get a team to the postseason and maybe grab a win, but it’s never going to be enough for a Super Bowl. So, do you really want to pay $18 million just to lose in the first round?

Also, Smith is still under contract with the Chiefs, so they may have a high asking price for him. A quarterback desperate team, like the Cleveland Browns, could attempt to trade for him and they may be willing to surrender a second rounder for him. After all, they have a boatload of draft capital on their hands and current GM John Dorsey actually traded for Smith when he was the Kansas City GM. That’s something to keep an eye on, as paying a high price for a league average quarterback probably isn’t a wise move.

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And finally, the most important point of all. If Smith, now 33, comes in and gets the Redskins to the postseason, it could lull the front office into a sense of complacency. The team wants to win a Super Bowl obviously, but if Smith can continually get the team to the playoffs for a few years, the front office could be happy with that.

Much like the Chiefs waited to select a successor, the Redskins decision makers could put off acquiring a potential successor for two or even three years. That wouldn’t be a great move, especially considering that the 2018 NFL Draft is full of potentially solid prospects who could fit well with the team. The Redskins need a developmental guy, and it’s unlikely that they would select one if Smith was in town and here to stay, especially if they used a Day 2 draft pick to get him.

For those reasons, Smith wouldn’t necessarily be as great a fit on paper as he currently may seem.