Alex Smith was one of the key components to the Kansas City Chiefs turnaround under coach Andy Reid, and it looks as if the two will remain together for the foreseeable future.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Chiefs and Smith have had talks that could result in a contract extension. Those discussions — which began as early as March — are moving “very, very slowly,” but are expected to heat up rapidly after the NFL Draft in May.
Smith’s current deal expires after the 2014 season. He earns an average of about $8 million annually and is due $7.5 million this coming season.
Per the report, a new contract could be worth between $14 million and $17 million per year. The length of the deal remains to be seen, but Smith is not yet 30 years old, so the former first-round pick has plenty of years left to compete in the league.
While it looks as if Smith’s long-term future is with Kansas City. The same may not be true for New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram.
The former first-round pick doesn’t know whether the 2015 fifth-year option will be picked up by the Saints, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. At the Capital One Celebrity Shootout at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans Tuesday, Ingram said he’s unsure of his future with the team.
“I’m not sure if they will pick up the fifth-year option,” Ingram said. “I’m just working one day at a time and I’m just glad I’m on a team that’s a championship contender.”
The Saints have until May 3 to pick up the option. The team has already exercised the option on defensive end Cameron Jordan, who like Ingram was a first-round pick back in the 2011 draft.
If exercised, the option would allow Ingram to earn a $5.2 million base salary in 2015. The Saints’ backfield lost a key contributor in Darren Sproles this offseason, leaving Ingram, Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson to shoulder much of the workload. As a result, Ingram’s role is expected to grow.
Ingram came on down the stretch for New Orleans during its playoff run, as Thomas was sidelined due to injury. His future with the team beyond this year could very much be contingent on how he fares in the larger role in 2014.
