Cardinals Considered Trading For QB Alex Smith Last Year

Arizona Cardinals HC Bruce Arians mentioned during an interview with Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio that they reached out to the 49ers about a potential trade for QB Alex Smith last year.

However, given that the two teams play in the same division, Arians said that the trade talks “went nowhere.”

Reports surfaced during the offseason last year that the Cardinals had interest in Smith, so this news really is more of a confirmation that they were in fact considering the idea. The 49ers were clearly shopping Smith around the league and it quickly became clear that the Chiefs had the most interest in acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick.

The Cardinals ultimately found their quarterback when they traded a 2013 sixth-round draft pick and a conditional pick 2014 selection to the Raiders in return for QB Carson Palmer.

San Francisco wound up sending Smith to the Chiefs in return for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional pick 2014 selection.

Smith, 31, later signed a five-year, $76 million contract included $45 million guaranteed with the Chiefs after leading them to an 11-5 record and a postseason appearance.

Arizona signed Palmer, 34, to a brand new three-year, $50 million extension just days before he suffered a season-ending ACL injury.