Chiefs To Acquire CB Kendall Fuller
The Chiefs will receive cornerback Kendall Fuller from the Redskins as part of the Alex Smith trade, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Kansas City is also acquiring a 2018 third-round pick from Washington.
The Redskins’ decision to part with Fuller in exchange for Smith is fairly surprising given that Fuller is still only 22 years old and performed like one the NFL’s best cornerbacks in 2017. Fuller played two-thirds of Washington’s defensive snaps a season ago and graded as the league’s No. 6 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders was also a fan of Fuller’s work, as the former third-round pick ranked second in success rate and eighth in yards per pass allowed.
Fuller’s contract situation is also appealing, as he still has two years left on his rookie deal. While the Redskins have agreed to a four-year, $94MM extension with Smith, Fuller will earn less than $1.5MM from 2018-19. That’s incredibly important for the Chiefs, who were projected to be nearly $10MM over the cap when the 2018 league year began in mid-March.
Now that he’s in Kansas City, Fuller figures to step immediately into the club’s starting lineup opposite fellow cornerback Marcus Peters. The Chiefs ranked just 23rd in pass defense DVOA in 2017, but they now have the opportunity to revamp their secondary, as Terrance Mitchell, Kenneth Acker, and Phillip Gaines are all scheduled to hit free agency in roughly six weeks. Veteran Darrelle Revis is technically under contract for 2018, but he’ll be released before his $10MM guarantee kicks in on March 14.
Browns Tried To Trade For QB Alex Smith
Before the Chiefs sent Alex Smith to the Redskins, the Browns made a play for the veteran quarterback, according to Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. As many as six teams may have expressed interest in Smith, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Broncos had some level of interest in Smith, but it’s not clear if Denver actually discussed an acquisition with Kansas City, per Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link).
Washington ultimately acquired Smith in exchange for a 2018 third-round pick and an unidentified player, so Cleveland presumably was unwilling to meet that asking price. The Browns not only own higher draft choices than do the Redskins, but also possess more total selections, meaning general manager John Dorsey & Co. had the ammunition to make a deal. Dorsey, notably, previously acquired Smith from the 49ers as Kansas City’s general manager in 2013.
Cleveland is fully expected to pursue quarterback upgrades this offseason, and may be open to adding a veteran signal-caller via trade or free agency and using an early-round pick on a passer. Smith would have given the Browns a competent starter under center, allowing the club to either bring in a first-round rookie — such as USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, or Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield — or give 2017 second-rounder DeShone Kizer more time to develop.
But now that Smith is on board in the nation’s capital, the Redskins won’t be signing fellow quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will now hit the open market. The Browns expressed interest in trading for Cousins during the 2017 draft, and while Cleveland now has a new front office in place, it’s fair to assume the club will have pursue Cousins now that he’s a free agent. The Browns are second in the NFL with nearly $110MM in available cap space, meaning they’ll have the flexibility to offer him a hefty contract.
Redskins To Extend QB Alex Smith
The Redskins have agreed to a new four-year contract with newly-acquired quarterback Alex Smith that will keep him in the nation’s capital through the 2022 campaign, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 
The new deal will pay Smith $23.5MM annually and features $70MM in guarantees, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That guarantee figure likely doesn’t refer to full guarantees, as no player has topped the $61MM mark in full guarantees. However, Smith will still become the sixth-highest-paid quarterback in terms of annual salary.
Smith had only one season remaining on his former contract: he would’ve earned a $14.5MM base salary next season, and because he was acquired via trade, Washington wouldn’t have been on the hook for any of his signing bonus proration. Whether Smith’s new deal alters his 2018 cap charge is unclear, but he’s likely to pocket some extra cash this year thanks to a fresh signing bonus.
The Redskins rank near the top of the league in available cap space with more than $52MM in reserves, so they’ll be able to afford to give their new quarterback a raise. While Smith is coming off arguably the best season of his career, he’s also 33 years old, so he may not have had the leverage to become the league’s highest-paid quarterback. Washington and Smith likely agreed to an extension prior to the trade that will significantly increase Smith’s salary, but keep him below the $25MM+ average that currently tops the quarterback market.
Washington was famously resistant to inking former starter Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal, and had assigned the Cousins the franchise tag for two consecutive seasons. As such, Cousins earned nearly $44MM from 2016-17, and would have taken home north of $34MM in 2018 had the Redskins opted to deploy the franchise tender again.
Chiefs To Trade QB Alex Smith To Redskins
In a blockbuster move that will have wide-ranging implications around the NFL, the Chiefs have agreed to trade quarterback Alex Smith to the Redskins, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. When the deal becomes official on March 14 (the first day of the 2018 league year), Kansas City is expected to receive a third-round pick (No. 78) and a player who will be identified Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
In 2017, the 33-year-old Smith led the NFL in passer rating (104.7) and finished third in adjusted net yards per attempt while setting career-highs in completion percentage (67.5), yards (4,042), and touchdowns (26). He also posted a career-low interception rate of 1%, and scored well in Football Outsiders’ metrics, which ranked Smith ninth in DYAR and 10th in DVOA.
Despite that production, the Chiefs were widely expected to trade Smith given the presence of Patrick Mahomes, whom Kansas City traded up to acquire in the 2017 draft. Mahomes’ only real action during his rookie campaign came during a meaningless regular season finale, but the Chiefs shipped two first-round picks plus a third-rounder to Buffalo for the right to select Mahomes at pick No. 10, and they’ll capitalize on that investment.
Smith is only under contract through the 2018 campaign, and it remains to be seen if Washington has interest in working out an extension. Kansas City was projected to be roughly $10MM over the cap next season, so clearing Smith’s $14.5MM base salary, $2MM roster bonus, and $500K workout bonus will help out the club’s books., while the Redskins boast more than $52MM in cap space, meaning they can easily fit Smith onto their ledger.
Washington’s decision to not only take on Smith’s salary, but install him as the team’s starting quarterback, means Kirk Cousins will (at long last) officially hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent. Although the Redskins could have explored a variety of options regarding Cousins, including the franchise/transition tag or a long-term deal, the club never seemed willing to commit to a lengthy contract for its starting quarterback.
A third consecutive franchise tender would have netted Cousins more than $34MM in 2018 alone, but he’ll now be free to possibly double that figure in guaranteed money on his next contract. The Jets were the most recent team to be linked to a Cousins pursuit, while club such as the Bronco, Browns, and Cardinals could also make sense as potential landing spots.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, are now facing something of a restart on offense a year after ranking fourth in DVOA, fifth in yards, and sixth in points. In addition to Mahomes now being under center, Kansas City will be without offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who is now the Bears’ head coach. Former running backs coach Eric Bieniemy has since been promoted to OC, while head coach Andy Reid will personally direct Mahomes as the club’s play-caller.
[RELATED: Chiefs Depth Chart]
Redskins Notes: Brown, Long, Lauvao
The Redskins‘ decision to re-sign Mason Foster to a two-year deal last week won’t preclude the club from pursuing a new contract with fellow linebacker Zach Brown, sources tell John Keim of ESPN.com, who recently reported Washington has opened negotiations with Brown. Indeed, despite reports that the Redskins had opened talks with a “lowball offer,” they’re still conversing with the 28-year-old Brown, tweets J.P. Finlay of NBC Washington. Per Keim, Brown could potentially looking for a top-of-the-market linebacker pact, which could require $10MM annually and nearly $20MM in guarantees. However, Brown was only able to garner a one-year, $2.5MM deal last season when he was younger and coming off an arguably more productive campaign.
- While the Redskins are engaged in talks to bring back Brown, the team may not be interested in a reunion with offensive lineman Spencer Long and Shawn Lauvao, according to Rich Tandler of NBC Washington. Long and Lauvao split time at guard in 2017, but neither earned positive grades from Pro Football Focus. If Washington does opt to re-sign one of its two free agent lineman, Long could speculatively have the advantage given that he’s three years younger than Lauvao. However, Tandler expects the Redskins to instead bring in a free agent or a draft pick to compete with former fourth-round pick Arie Kouandjio, who started six games a season ago.
NFC Notes: Cousins, Cowboys, Garoppolo, Cards
One of the top dominos to fall in free agency this offseason will be the future of Kirk Cousins. The Redskins have used both the transition tag and franchise tag on the signal-caller in the last two years, respectively, and their intentions this offseason remain unknown.
One option would be to again use a tag on Cousins and then trade him to another team, NBC Sports’ Rich Tandler writes. In theory, Tandler states, Cousins would agree to a deal with another team but would not sign an offer sheet. He would then be receive the transition tag from Washington, who would then trade him to the agreed upon team.
Tandler notes the pros to the deal would be an assurance to Cousins that Washington wouldn’t match an offer, the Redskins would receive compensation for his departure and the other team would get their franchise quarterback without signing him to a heavily front-loaded contract.
Of the teams who would potentially be interested in such a deal, the Browns, Broncos and Jets seem like the most obvious candidates to get something done.
It’s still early in the offseason, but the Cousins situation will be among the most interesting and pivotal of the offseason.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Switzer underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle, the team reported. Primarily deployed as a kickoff and punt returner in his rookie season, the North Carolina product is expected to assume a heavier workload on offense in his second season.
- The Cardinals are looking to hire Titans defensive line coach Nick Eason for the same position, AZ Central’s Kent Somers hears (Twitter link). The position was previously held by Brentson Buckner for the last five seasons. Eason played 10 seasons in the NFL and has been with the Titans since 2014.
- 49ers general manager John Lynch has stated often that he envisions Jimmy Garoppolo as the quarterback in San Francisco for the foreseeable future. Lynch confirmed this week that steps have been taken to ensure that happens, reports the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch writes. The chances of Garoppolo playing somewhere other than the Bay Area in 2018 are slim to none. If a multi-year deal cannot be quickly reached, the team is sure to use the franchise tag on the signal-caller who has yet to lose as a starter in the NFL (7-0).
Redskins Re-Sign LB Mason Foster
The Redskins have re-signed linebacker Mason Foster, according to a team announcement. It’s a two-year deal with a base value of $4MM and a max value of $7MM, agent Blake Baratz tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). 
Foster was starting for the Redskins when a torn labrum ended his season after five games. When he was placed on IR, Foster fired off a string of tweets voicing his frustration with the team. Later, he walked back his comments, saying that he was “too emotional” at the time and that he still wanted to be with the Redskins.
“I’m a Redskin until they tell me I’m not a Redskin,” Foster said. “That’s how I feel about it. I love this team. This is where I wanna be. We handled it internally, and I appreciate Bruce sitting down with me and [senior vice president of football operations] Eric Schaffer so that we could get it squashed and go about business.”
Part of Foster’s frustration could be chalked up to his impending free agency. In 2014, he played through an injury that severely impacted his stock on the open market. This time, he felt that he was not given enough of an opportunity to gut it out and demonstrate his value.
In his five games last season, the former third-rounder totaled 31 tackles. 0.5 sacks, and one interception.
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the conference championship games in the books, we now know the draft order for 30 of the first round’s 32 picks. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))
32. (New England Patriots (13-3) or Philadelphia Eagles (13-3))
Will Redskins Bring Cravens Back?
Will the Redskins bring Su’a Cravens back into the fold? ESPN.com’s John Keim gets the sense that coaches are still reluctant to bring him into the locker room again.
Meanwhile, the presence of safety Montae Nicholson may make it easier for the team to part ways with the versatile defender. Nicholson, last year’s fourth-round pick, has only given the team a limited sample to evaluate. However, when he was on the field, his presence allowed slot corner Kendall Fuller to focus on his man. Nicholson’s ability to cover could also allow the team to use D.J. Swearinger more in the box where he is at his best. Cravens’ talent is undeniable, but at this time, it sounds like the Redskins are on course to cut or trade him.
Redskins, LB Zach Brown Talking Contract
While the Redskins have already entered negotiations with pending free agent linebacker Zach Brown, there is a “gap” between Brown’s asking price and Washington’s comfort level, reports John Keim of ESPN.com.
It’s unclear how many years or what type of annual salary the 28-year-old Brown is searching for, but it’s worth noting he was met with lukewarm interest during the 2017 free agent period. While he was a year younger and coming off a much more productive season with the Bills, Brown was forced to accept a one-year deal with the Redskins that paid him only $2.55MM.
In his first season with Washington, Brown appeared in 13 games and played on roughly three-quarters of the club’s defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus graded Brown as the league’s No. 51 linebacker among 88 qualifiers, a steep dropoff from his 2017 production. As a unit, Washington’s defense ranked 29th in rush defense DVOA.
While the Redskins rank sixth in the NFL with approximately $52MM in available cap space, they have 19 unrestricted free agents, a list that includes quarterback Kirk Cousins and cornerback Bashaud Breeland. Washington could use that financial room to find a new signal-caller and add improvements at wide receiver, offensive line, or in the secondary, meaning Brown may not be a priority.