Alex Smith Cut (update: retired)
 

The Washington Football Team is expected to part ways with QB Alex Smith in the coming days, sources tell me and
@KimJonesSports
. The AP Comeback Player of the Year has said he still wants to play, and at age 36 may have a chance to do so.

Rap Sheet

Should save 15M

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

Our cap space now goes up to $52 mil with Alex's release.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=Ruhskins;1278249]Our cap space now goes up to $52 mil with Alex's release.[/quote]

Could grab a LB and WR plus QB with that $$

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

All time great comeback story, wish him nothing but the best going forward.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

Bye Alex, you crazy bastard.

Take the money and your smokeshow wife and retire.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=MTK;1278253]All time great comeback story, wish him nothing but the best going forward.[/quote]

Alex Smith is a great man. What an inspiration! Thank you Alex and best of luck to you and your family.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

A tough son of a gun, a leader, a consummate pro, and above all else ... a winner.

Good luck with whatever you wind up doing Alex!

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Loved the ride, wish him 1) another opportunity since that's what he wants 2) to be smart enough to retire before having another injury

Nice and smart cap move on our part.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

Right move opens some bucks. I think Alex has a future in coaching/management some where.

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[quote=MTK;1278253]All time great comeback story, wish him nothing but the best going forward.[/quote]

Agree. The comeback and wins that gave us a glimpse of what could have been was amazing. Good luck with whatever the future holds.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=MTK;1278253]All time great comeback story, wish him nothing but the best going forward.[/quote]

Sums it up for me.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

You know, I get tired of hearing "yeah, but he's never won a SB", or he's just a "Captain check down", etc. You know who else never won a SB? D Marino, J Kelly, W Moon, D Fouts, P Rivers, and plenty of other good/great QBs... Guess who also is (or was) shown to "check down" at about the same percentage or more: D Carr, D Watson, E Manning, P Rivers, and plenty of other good/great QBs...

He's a great player who just manages to win games, and never ever got the credit he deserved.

The last two years exemplify what type of person he truly is. Best of luck in whatever he chooses the next chapter to be.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=Chief X_Phackter;1278286]You know, I get tired of hearing "yeah, but he's never won a SB", or he's just a "Captain check down", etc. You know who else never won a SB? D Marino, J Kelly, W Moon, D Fouts, P Rivers, and plenty of other good/great QBs... Guess who also is (or was) shown to "check down" at about the same percentage or more: D Carr, D Watson, E Manning, P Rivers, and plenty of other good/great QBs...

He's a great player who just manages to win games, and never ever got the credit he deserved.

The last two years exemplify what type of person he truly is. Best of luck in whatever he chooses the next chapter to be.[/quote]

Exactly this. His play was not "exciting", but he knew how to lead and generally win. I hope he has a great future, whether in football or not.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

Thank you and good luck Alex.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

11-4 as the starter here. Say what you will about his style of play, but he found a way to win more often than not. Has any QB in Snyder's tenure left here with a winning record?

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=MTK;1278289]11-4 as the starter here. Say what you will about his style of play, but he found a way to win more often than not. Has any QB in Snyder's tenure left here with a winning record?[/quote]

You can't deny the dude is a winner

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

I know what I said the other day about his mobility, but that's no way my reflection on the man. He won't make the HoF as a QB, but I actually would like to see him coach and succeed at it. And fate willing, become a HoF coach. But if he chooses not to, I'd say whatever he does after football he'll be a success.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=MTK;1278289]11-4 as the starter here. Say what you will about his style of play, but he found a way to win more often than not. Has any QB in Snyder's tenure left here with a winning record?[/quote]

Its hard not to see that 11-4 record and wonder how thing would have worked out had he not been injured.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=Ruhskins;1278249]Our cap space now goes up to $52 mil with Alex's release.[/quote]

I imagine they will make it a post-June 1st cut (he can still be released this week), in which case their is an extra 5M in cap savings.

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I always felt at ease when Smith was at the helm. My favorite Alex Smith stat 2-0 v. Dallas. Class act and a tough sob. Safe travels man :food-smil

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

Alex .. Class act !! I wish him well !!

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfaninok;1278290]You can't deny the dude is a winner[/quote]

Stellar human being, only Hitler wouldn't wish Smith well.
But a cold-blooded analysis of his QB play reveals a QB that is above average and nothing more. He beat the easy teams and consistently struggled to beat the better teams, everywhere he played, even on stacked teams.
This was a move Skins had to make cap-wise, obviously.
I can't imagine anyone signing Smith to start, be interesting to see if he can catch on with another team.
First necessary move to clean up our mess at QB has been made. You could say the second, not making dumb trades being the first, except we tried that and got outbid. Man would I love to see us draft 2 QBs and just let youth compete.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

A QB's WL record is such a flawed stat and is made up by the media. Does the guard have a WL record too?? What about the wr? The HC should have a WL record. That's it.

To me Smith was never really a good QB. I don't care for his style of play at all. You'll never win a SB w/ him unless you have a truly great defense. Very hard to do in this era of football.

He's about as outstanding of a guy you can have in your locker room but the team made the right decision here. He needs to retire.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=irish;1278292]Its hard not to see that 11-4 record and wonder how thing would have worked out had he not been injured.[/quote]

We already know. See KC. The minute they got rid of him and drafted a better player their offense explodes and they won a SB and got to another.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfan69;1278316]We already know. See KC. The minute they got rid of him and drafted a better player their offense explodes and they won a SB and got to another.[/quote]

Well, the minute we "got rid of him" our offense tanked and we dwelled in the basement of suckatude. AS was a qb that you could develop the rest of the team around and still be a quality team. Fortunately, I think RR and company understood that, and once they could free themselves of DH, they used KA and AS to keep the qb spot from being a liability and taught the rest of the team how to play. Getting the qb spot right is such a huge undertaking for this offseason. Is it September yet?

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=irish;1278292]Its hard not to see that 11-4 record and wonder how thing would have worked out had he not been injured.[/quote]

We probably don't draft Chase Young. A bunch of other maybes too. Possibly more playoff appearances, maybe Bruce and Jay still here.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfan69;1278316]We already know. See KC. The minute they got rid of him and drafted a better player their offense explodes and they won a SB and got to another.[/quote]

Actually, both teams drafted a better player and let him sit behind AS for a year. Neither team "got rid of him and drafted a better player". Had we drafted a better player in lieu of Haskins, we would be in terrific shape as AS' contract expired. But alas - Haskins...

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We stood a much better chance at winning games with him in the lineup than not. That's all I know.

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[quote=skinsfaninok;1278250]Could grab a LB and WR plus QB with that $$[/quote]

How about we pay and resign our own before going on a spending spree.

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[quote=SFREDSKIN;1278324]How about we pay and resign our own before going on a spending spree.[/quote]

I agree but we have holes to fill as well

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[quote=CRedskinsRule;1278317]Well, the minute we "got rid of him" our offense tanked and we dwelled in the basement of suckatude. AS was a qb that you could develop the rest of the team around and still be a quality team. Fortunately, I think RR and company understood that, and once they could free themselves of DH, they used KA and AS to keep the qb spot from being a liability and taught the rest of the team how to play. Getting the qb spot right is such a huge undertaking for this offseason. Is it September yet?[/quote]

our offense was never good with him. there was an obvious drop off from Cousins to Smith.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfan69;1278362]our offense was never good with him. there was an obvious drop off from Cousins to Smith.[/quote]

offensive production drop off maybe, better record definitely.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;1278320]Actually, both teams drafted a better player and let him sit behind AS for a year. Neither team "got rid of him and drafted a better player". Had we drafted a better player in lieu of Haskins, we would be in terrific shape as AS' contract expired. But alas - Haskins...[/quote]

I am only talking about KC. Facts are when Mahomes took over they won a SB and went to another. Would never have happened w/ Smith.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfan69;1278364]I am only talking about KC. Facts are when Mahomes took over they won a SB and went to another. Would never have happened w/ Smith.[/quote]

But the team that Mahomes took over, and the time behind AS is credited toward his growth. They also made the playoffs with AS.

My point is, had Haskins been a good qb pick, maybe we would be in a different place, but now we are stuck in a qb quagmire. None of that is Alex Smith's fault. The games he played, our team had measurably better success.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;1278363]offensive production drop off maybe, better record definitely.[/quote]

But again a QB W/L record is totally flawed. DeShawn Watson's W/L record this year was 4-12.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;1278365]But the team that Mahomes took over, and the time behind AS is credited toward his growth. They also made the playoffs with AS.

My point is, had Haskins been a good qb pick, maybe we would be in a different place, but now we are stuck in a qb quagmire. None of that is Alex Smith's fault. The games he played, our team had measurably better success.[/quote]

Mahomes was going to be a great player. With or w/out Smith.

Also I am not knocking him. Solid guy as it gets, I just never thought much of him as a QB and would have never traded for him.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

I'd say looking at the stats alone is misleading. Were we likely to be consistent playoff contenders with Smith? Possibly and maybe likely. Would be be SB contenders and even winners? Unlikely.

What he brought were intangibles like leadership and improving the guys around him. What he didn't do was sling the ball around and light up the scoreboard. As a rule he wasn't going to make catastrophic mistakes and dig us into holes, but likewise he wasn't likely to dig us out of holes others put us in. He was a good bridge QB, and our problem is we didn't give him a Mahomes to learn from him and be the other side o the bridge.

Listening to Heinicke, you get the distinct impression he made the other QB's better (or at least feel better about themselves), the exception being DH. And DH could probably come out of a meeting with Joe Montana or Tom Brady and gain nothing from it.

We need to find a franchise level QB with those intangibles, but with the tools and capability to go to the next level. Better football minds can decide who that is.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=AnonEmouse;1278369]I'd say looking at the stats alone is misleading. Were we likely to be consistent playoff contenders with Smith? Possibly and maybe likely. Would be be SB contenders and even winners? Unlikely.

What he brought were intangibles like leadership and improving the guys around him. What he didn't do was sling the ball around and light up the scoreboard. As a rule he wasn't going to make catastrophic mistakes and dig us into holes, but likewise he wasn't likely to dig us out of holes others put us in. He was a good bridge QB, and our problem is we didn't give him a Mahomes to learn from him and be the other side o the bridge.

Listening to Heinicke, you get the distinct impression he made the other QB's better (or at least feel better about themselves), the exception being DH. And DH could probably come out of a meeting with Joe Montana or Tom Brady and gain nothing from it.

We need to find a franchise level QB with those intangibles, but with the tools and capability to go to the next level. Better football minds can decide who that is.[/quote]

Great post. Mahomes said as much about Alex's mentorship. Alex is a class act and exemplifies "team player" in its purest sense.

Re: Alex Smith Cut
 

[quote=skinsfan69;1278366]But again a QB W/L record is totally flawed. DeShawn Watson's W/L record this year was 4-12.[/quote]

The difference, and the reason 11-4 means something tied to AS is because in 2 separate seasons, our team had 5 + wins with him starting qb, and in those SAME SEASONS we were 3-14 with out him. The reason the W/L record is significant is because the team and coaching around AS didn't significantly improve mid season to make his play insignificant, instead his play significantly impacted the play of the rest of the team to make the outcomes better.

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[quote=skinsfan69;1278364]I am only talking about KC. Facts are when Mahomes took over they won a SB and went to another. Would never have happened w/ Smith.[/quote]

Exactly.
Again, none of this is a personal attack against Smith.
But that analysis is spot on.
Smith was way too conservative and just had no moxy when the chips were down. You were going to win 9-10 games with him some seasons, and go to the playoffs at times, but never the SB.