Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in May that he was "sure" the team would sign quarterback Alex Smith to a long-term contract.
Two months later: crickets. So what gives?
"Who knows," Smith told NFL Media's Steve Wyche on Thursday's NFL Total Access. "Certainly there's been a lot of continued, open conversation between both sides. For me, come camp, that's all gonna get forgotten about, for me it's all about football. If it gets done, it gets done, but until then I'm just focused on that first game, really."
Entering his contract year, Smith told The Kansas City Star this week: "I'd love to have it done."
"I love Kansas City, I love the coaching staff, the players," Smith said. "... But when you're talking about this many years and that type of deal, you want it done right. You want both sides happy, and you want it to be something that is going to last and you can play out. A lot of things go into it."
Smith's camp wants to be paid close to Jay Cutler's $18 million annual average. Not unlike Andy Dalton in Cincinnati, though, determining an asking price for the 30-year-old Smith hasn't been easy.
If talks fail to produce an agreeable deal, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported in May that Kansas City is indeed willing to slap the franchise tag on their steady-but-unspectacular starter.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" invites Bucky Brooks in-studio for a team-by-team AFC training camp preview.
