After 11 years in the Washington organization, player staff vice president Kyle Smith has left to take up a similar job with the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the second highest-ranking staff executive behind the new general manager. Terry Fontenot.
Smith’s departure comes a year after he was promoted to his current position and helped lead a successful draft and free agency period for Washington. There were rumors for several months about his possible departure.
Smith now joins a franchise that has the fourth pick in the draft, a new general manager at Fontenot and a new coach at Arthur Smith.
His future in Washington became clear when the franchise recently hired Martin Mayhew as general manager and Marty Hurney as executive vice president of player staff. They both have extensive experience in the NFL.
Smith was not interviewed for the position of general manager; the only internal candidate interviewed by coach Ron Rivera was professional personnel director Eric Stokes, who joined the team last summer.
One of the reasons Rivera said he was interested in coming to Washington was because of the drafts the team had run under Smith.
Smith, 36, who is the son of former Chargers general manager AJ Smith, was interested in several teams, a source said, though none was for the general manager position.
Smith began as a fellow in Washington and, prior to his promotion in 2020, spent three years as a director of college Scouting. He was an explorer of the area for six years.
Washington also went through three scouts, according to sources: professional personnel director / advanced coordinator Jeff Scott, who was promoted to this position last season; national listening Cole Spencer and staff / professional listening coordinator Brian Zeches.
Last season, Washington not only drafted Chase Young with the second team, but received solid contributions from other rookies, such as runner-up Antonio Gibson in the third round and safety Kam Curl in the seventh. Free agent signings included tight end Logan Thomas, who reached the maximum race with 72 recipes, and runner JD McKissic, who achieved the top 80 steps of the race.
Washington finished 7-9 and won the NFC East.