In nine seasons, Alex Smith has never shown a proclivity to push the ball down the field. The Kansas City Chiefs would like to change that slightly in 2015.
"We've got to sort of retrain, rethink just a little bit," offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said this week at OTAs, via ESPN.com. "But going from that first year to where we are now with (Smith), now he sees that kind of stuff. It's just a matter of cutting loose."
With the addition of Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce the clear No. 1 tight end, the improvement of speedy Albert Wilson and the move of DeAnthony Thomas full-time to receiver, the Chiefs hope their pass-catchers will help force Smith to pump the ball down the field.
"I like where Alex is," Pederson said. "But now in the spring, we want to see any quarterback shoot the ball down the field and at least test it. That gives him the comfort level the next time he's in that situation."
Smith is a dirt-cheap quarterback option who could provide high-end QB2 numbers if he becomes a tad more aggressive. He has finished #13 and #18 in the last two seasons, but is the 24th QB off the board. He’s dangerous as a runner, and given the addition of a bona fide receiver in Maclin, the emergence of Kelce, and the always-dangerous Jamaal Charles, Smith is an unexciting yet (usually) functional fantasy quarterback.
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