Alex Smith confirmed yesterday that his agent, Tom Condon, and the Chiefs have engaged in contract discussions for the veteran quarterback. However, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that those talks are moving “very, very slowly” so far. According to Florio, negotiations are likely to heat up sometime after next month’s draft.
For his part, Smith indicated yesterday that he’s not very involved in the process at this point: “My agent handles all of that, and that’s why you hire that guy to take care of that, so you can focus on football. It’s really not my place. I have a contract for this year.”
Indeed, Smith is under contract for a cap number of $8MM for 2014, which includes a $7.5MM base salary. If and when he and the Chiefs reach an agreement on a long-term extension, it figures to significantly boost his annual average value. As Florio writes, something in the neighborhood of $14-17MM per year seems about right for the Chiefs’ signal-caller.
Smith, who turns 30 on the day before the draft, excelled in his first year in Kansas City, making the Pro Bowl roster for the first time in his eight-year career. The former first overall pick set career-highs in completions (308), passing yards (3,313), and passing touchdowns (23), while winning 11 of his 15 starts for the Chiefs.