Kansas City, here I come, sang Fats Domino, and there's heavy connecting of the dots to say that Alex Smith will soon be belting out the same tune. If so, we should be able to firmly rule out the idea of a quarterback going No. 1 overall, marking the first time since 2008 that a player at another position took that spot.
Various reports, including this one from the insider blog at the San Francisco Chronicle online home, indicate the Niners are telling teams that a deal to trade Smith is all but complete. It can't be official until March 12, the start of the league year, but there appears to be at least a handshake agreement. Sources for the Browns and Jaguars, rumored to be candidates for a deal, have indicated they aren't the mystery team, while no one from Kansas City has said as much.
The blog concedes that maybe San Francisco is trying to drum up interest in Smith with its report, but it's more likely that a deal is done. San Francisco can't keep Smith at his sizable salary for a backup quarterback, and doesn't want to release him. New Kansas City coach Andy Reid "really likes Smith," according to Trent Dilfer.
There wasn't much chance of Geno Smith, widely viewed as the draft's top quarterback, going No. 1 overall anyway, but this deal, if it happens, should effectively eliminate any chance of it happening. Kansas City could trade the pick, or still select a quarterback with an early pick, but would likely be looking at another player with that pick, perhaps Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel.
Smith going to Kansas City seems like a positive for receivers Dwayne Bowe (assuming he returns) and perhaps tight end Tony Moeaki. Smith won't set the world on fire, but Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis emerged as viable fantasy options in recent years with Smith running the offense.
--Andy Richardson