From the looks of it, the 49ers are getting a king’s ransom for Smith. The Chiefs are giving up a 2013 second-round pick (No. 34 overall) along with another similarly high draft pick in 2014.

The trade won’t be official until March 12, when the league’s new year begins, but the deal is certainly in place. One should expect the Chiefs to also cut quarterback Matt Cassel.

What does this mean for the Browns? Essentially, a whole lot of nothing. Smith would never have fit the new offensive system that is in place; he’s much more suited for Andy Reid’s style. And when Cassel gets cut, no one should want him in Cleveland as anything other than a backup. There are other teams out there desperate enough to make him a starter, so he likely won’t be on the Browns’ radar.

Here are just a few names being thrown around: Alex Smith, Nick Foles, Matt Moore, Matt Flynn, Ryan Mallett and Joe Flacco. Of course, Flacco is a complete pipe dream, while Smith doesn’t exactly fit the Browns’ new offensive scheme. Foles and Mallet don’t seem to be going anywhere (the same goes for the Redskins’ Kirk Cousins). And Moore or Flynn? What exactly makes them better than Weeden right now?

It’s true that Weeden’s best friend could be a weak crop of quarterbacks, though the Browns are certainly doing their due diligence on the incoming draft class. It would be a surprise to not see them go after one in a later round as a developmental project, but that still pretty much guarantees that Weeden’s job is safe.

The chatter is that the front office is concerned with Weeden’s age, but that still doesn’t mean much right now. Unless the Browns are willing to give up some top picks, which they certainly can’t afford to do this year, they will be stuck with an option as unproven or unsatisfying as Weeden is in their eyes.

Joe Flacco isn’t coming to Cleveland. Prepare your mind for another season of Brandon Weeden, Browns fans.

It seems like ages ago, but Alex Smith used to be the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and they were still considered Super Bowl contenders. And while he didn’t lose his job because of his performance, he did simply lose it to a more talented player in Colin Kaepernick.

However, that won’t stop Smith from being a hot commodity this offseason. He surely knows this, which is why he is reportedly asking to be released from the 49ers after the season, rather than be traded.

Whether he’s traded or simply released (a tough decision the 49ers are going to have to make), we do know that Smith will be somewhere else in 2013, and he’ll have plenty of suitors.

Cleveland is a possible destination for Smith, though one wonders just how he would fit into head coach Rob Chudzinski’s offense. Both he and offensive coordinator Norv Turner like to air the ball out downfield, and that isn’t really Smith’s strength. He’s more of a game manager, better suited for the West Coast-ish offense that was in town the past two seasons.

That might not stop the Browns from bringing in this “name” quarterback. And it could easily blow up in their faces if that’s the route they go.