NFL Trade News 2018: Kansas City Chiefs Trade Quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins
Looks like the Washington Redskins are finally ready to move on from Kirk Cousins.
The Kansas City Star's Terez Paylor was the first to report that the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to ship star quarterback Alex Smith to Washington in the first blockbuster trade of 2018.
The Redskins will move promising cornerback Kendall Fuller and a 2018 third-round pick to Kansas City as part of the deal for the three-time Pro Bowler.
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This means the Redskins are no longer going to place the franchise tag on Cousins for the third year in a row. And it also means that former Texas Tech University standout Patrick Mahomes is now the Chiefs' starting quarterback.
The Redskins received a really good quarterback in this deal, but some observers think they simply gave too much to acquire him.
"Acquiring Smith wouldn't have been that bad had Washington simply had to part with a draft pick. But the Chiefs appear to have fleeced Washington because of the inclusion of Fuller in the deal," Mike Jones said in his column for USA Today.
"He is coming off of a career year, and has the ability to play well both in the slot and on the outside. Several offensive players viewed Fuller as one of the best players on the defense and capable of taking over as a starter opposite Josh Norman," he continued. "Now Washington must find another piece in the secondary," he added.
The deal will not be made official until the new league year begins on March 14.
Meanwhile, the Redskins may have been reluctant to commit to Cousins long-term, but ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported that they have already reached an agreement with Smith on a four-year contract extension.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the deal is worth $94 million and Smith will get $71 million in guaranteed money.
