Andy Dalton became the latest quarterback to ink a hefty new contract this offseason, signing a six-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals worth up to $115 million (including escalators). The presumption is that Dalton's signing is good news for Alex Smith, another quarterback in the good-but-not-great range who's looking for a payday from the Kansas City Chiefs. The two sides are reportedly deadlocked, and Smith, entering the final year of his current deal, has threatened to cut off talks until after the season. The belief is that Dalton's deal could break the logjam and provide the framework for Smith's.
Andy Dalton deal doesn’t necessarily mean Alex Smith is next
Smith’s contract talks with the Chiefs have stalled, and the difference from Dalton’s age and contract preferences could prevent his new deal from being used as a framework.
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Because of differences in age and the details of Dalton’s extension, however, that’s not necessarily the case.
Dalton's signing -- as well as Colin Kaepernick's six-year, $126 million deal in June -- came with an asterisk: it was incredibly team-friendly and not nearly as lucrative as it looked. Both are essentially two-year deals with a series of one-year team options and various escalator clauses.
That’s fine for Dalton and Kaepernick -- players coming off relatively cheap rookie contracts looking to land in the money -- but not for Smith. At 30, Smith is likely more interested in years than dollar amounts. He’ll want something more stable.
The better comparison for Smith is fellow veteran Jay Cutler, who signed an extension with the Chicago Bears in January. While the bloated total figure was reported as seven years, $126 million, the core contract is three years, $54 million guaranteed. Smith isn't good enough to command the same dollar amount as Cutler, but a three-year minimum commitment would be favorable.
Whether Smith and the Chiefs will be able to turn that framework into an agreeable deal remains to be seen. Talks are already looking rocky. Smith and the Chiefs have been in negotiations for some time now and the latest reports indicate a sizable gulf between the two sides. Smith said last week that he’s willing to shelve contract talks until after the season to avoid becoming a distraction, so it’s possible nothing comes of this until after the 2014 season.
As Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star points out, Smith's agent, Tom Condon, has a history of playing hardball and Chiefs general manager John Dorsey doesn't hand out many big-money extensions. Dorsey has handed only one major extension in his time with the Chiefs -- $26 million guaranteed to an underachieving Dwayne Bowe -- and it's looking like a backfire.
Still, the Chiefs have already invested heavily in Smith once when they handed over two second-round draft picks to acquire him from San Francisco. After Smith led them to an 11-5 record and put up solid numbers last season, there’s reason to think Kansas City will invest again.
Chiefs fans are hoping it’s just a matter of time.
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