Alex Smith, Chiefs begin contract extension talks
By Josh Sanchez
The Kansas City Chiefs were able to make an unlikely playoff run last season just one year after a miserable season that landed them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and the play of quarterback Alex Smith was a big part of their success along with the breakout season for their defense.
With the Chiefs beginning their offseason workouts on Monday and looking to continue their success, it appears that they are ready to commit to Smith for the foreseeable future.
Smith is set to earn $7.5 million in 2014 and become a free agent in 2015, but Smith says that his agent and the Chiefs have begun the initial stages of contract negotiations for an extension.
While the contract extension talks begin, Smith will be keeping his focus on football and let the rest play out.
“I’ve played long enough, going into year 10 now, it’s all year-to-year in my mind anyway at this point,” Smith said, via the Kansas City Star. “You’ve got to continually prove yourself. I don’t think it changes anything as far as my mindset or approach to the game.”
It is still possible that the Chiefs will select a quarterback in the middle rounds of this year’s draft for some insurance, but the team’s willingness to begin extension talks now shows that they are confident Smith can once again have success in Kansas City leading their offense.