Not so different from Smith's situation last season behind second-year QB Colin Kaepernick.
Moving Smith was hardly unexpected. He realized it once Kaepernick emerged as a capable starter over the season's final two months, and Smith all but said goodbye with his first pro team when he played briefly in the regular-season finale against Arizona to cheers of "Let's Go, Alex!" and "Alex! Alex!" from the Candlestick Park crowd.
With Smith now headed for Kansas City, Matt Cassel is likely headed out of town. And Reid will enter his first draft as Chiefs coach in April no longer needing to search for a quarterback.
NFL.com reports that the Arizona Cardinals might be interested in Cassel:
The Cardinals were interested in Smith, but now they're moving on to option No. 2. Arians wants to push the ball downfield and even though Cassel isn't known for his cannon, he would be an upgrade. Cassel did throw 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2008, and 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2010. So there's proof of success, just not sustained consistency.
The Chiefs' problems at quarterback are the single biggest reason they went 2-14 last season and secured the No. 1 pick in the draft for the first time in franchise history.
It's been a long-running problem for a franchise that has tried Steve Bono and Elvis Grbac (two more one-time 49ers), and more recently Damon Huard, Tyler Thigpen and Tyler Palko at quarterback. And then there's Cassel.
