Alex Smith shocked to lose Jeremy Maclin as a teammate

The Kansas City Chiefs shocked the NFL by cutting Jeremy Maclin, and his now former quarterback was stunned as well.

In the essence of a Friday afternoon news dump, the Kansas City Chiefs cut wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. There were financial considerations to the move, two years into a five-year, $55 million deal. But before an injury-marred 2016 campaign, Maclin had 87 receptions for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in 2015, his first season with the Chiefs.

After the Chiefs moved up in April’s draft to take Patrick Mahomes, 2017 looks like a make-or-break year for incumbent signal caller Alex Smith. With a veteran like Maclin gone, Kansas City’s group of wide receivers now looks very thin.

So it’s hardly shocking Smith doesn’t seem too thrilled about Maclin’s unexpected departure.

"“Jeremy is a really good friend, an amazing teammate, so still kind of just processing that he’s not going to be in there with us, a guy that’s done a lot for us the last two years, a guy I’ve grown really close to,” Smith said, via the Kansas City Star. “Jeremy’s a great person, a great teammate, a great player. On all those levels, just kind of letting that sink in, I guess.”"

A year from now, Smith could easily be the next big-name player the Chiefs get rid of. Teams don’t take quarterbacks early in the first round, and give up future draft capital, for them to sit for a while. If Mahomes is deemed fit to play by head coach Andy Reid, Smith will find himself replaced by a rising star young quarterback for the second time in his career.

Next: 5 free agent destinations for Jeremy Maclin

Smith’s career will always be viewed in the microscope of being the No. 1 overall pick in the same draft that saw Aaron Rodgers fall. He’s been good enough to win a lot of games with in recent years, but not quite good enough to win big games for Kansas City in the playoffs. That’s the kind of quarterback teams are always looking to replace, and the Chiefs have found a guy they like in much the same way the 49ers did.