John Lynch: ‘Alex Smith is up there with Peyton Manning & Drew Brees’

To wrap up the weekend in sports, the Carolina Panthers played host to the Kansas City Chiefs.

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The story of the game was the quarterbacks.

Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton, fresh off an outstanding season, made his preseason debut. After losing Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn, Jr., their top three receivers, in free agency, Newton has to adjust to a new group of receivers. That group includes the hero of the BCS National Championship game, former Florida State Seminoles’ wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who had an impressive debut last week.

For the Chiefs, quarterback Alex Smith is looking for a new contract after leading the Chiefs back into the playoffs last season. Many are skeptical of giving Smith a huge deal, but former NFL player and current FOX announcer John Lynch certainly isn’t one of them.

Last season, Smith completed 308 of 508 passes for 3,313 yards, 23 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. In his 10-year career, he’s completed 1,598 of 2,685 passes for 17, 593 yards with 104 touchdowns and 70 interceptions.

Stay tuned to FanSided as we get you ready for the start of the 2014 football season over the next few weeks. College Football will kickoff on August 28, headlined by games between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Texas A&M Aggies and the Boise State Broncos and Ole Miss Rebels while the pros will start their regular season a week later when the world champion Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers.

(This vine comes courtesy of gifdsports).