Despite a report in The Daily Beast suggesting that MSNBC honchos might want to consider the former Fox News anchor for one of its primetime perches, the prospect seems unlikely. One person familiar with Smith’s thinking suggests he’s never craved a role other than straight reporting, and another person with knowledge of the matter says such a move wouldn’t work for either the journalist or the network. Smith left Fox News in October after sparring on air with Tucker Carlson, one of the network’s primetime hosts.

A representative for Smith declined to comment. His non-compete agreement with Fox News is believed to expire after six months, meaning he could be eligible to work for another news outlet as soon as sometime in March.