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How the Alex Smith trade to Redskins shakes up Round 1 of the NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Alex Smith #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center on September 24, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Alex Smith #11 of the Kansas City Chiefs is seen before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center on September 24, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with general manager John Lynch after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with general manager John Lynch after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Impact on the San Francisco 49ers

The short version of the story is there will likely be one less non-quarterback prospect available when the 49ers are set to draft at either No. 9 or 10 in Round 1.

Bradley Chubb, who would fill a vital edge-rushing need for San Francisco, likely wouldn’t have made it past the pass-rush-needy Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 7), so one could argue it’s not that big of a deal anyway.

But if the Jets elected to go with, let’s say, a cornerback, the Niners may be forced to adjust their NFL Draft board a bit.

If Kirk Cousins winds up going to a team behind San Francisco in draft order, though, the scenario doesn’t change much at all. All it would do is lessen the chances of another team trading up ahead of the ninth or 10th pick. Albeit slightly.

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The biggest impact of all for the 49ers, however, is Alex Smith’s reported $23.5 million yearly salary. That will certainly affect general manager John Lynch’s negotiations with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who’ll likely receive the franchise tag if no deal is reached.

Still, the Smith-to-Washington deal doesn’t do much to affect San Francisco’s plans in the NFL Draft.

Cousins’ new-found free agency could, though, all depending on where he lands.

Next: 5 Round 1 NFL Draft scenarios for the 49ers in 2018

But the bigger effect will be felt by all those other teams on the hunt for a quarterback this offseason. And it could make the first 15 picks, or so, of the 2018 NFL Draft all the more exciting and interesting this April.