Alex Smith still has a long way to go in recovery and Washington Redskins executive Bruce Allen says the team will take some time before making a decision.
It was just about one year ago, in the run up to last year’s Super Bowl, that Alex Smith was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Washington Redskins in a deal that surprised the league in its immediacy. Brett Veach was intent on clearing the path for Patrick Mahomes without any offseason drama clouding the way. He found a suitor for his best trade asset and pulled the trade trigger as soon as he could.
One year later, the Chiefs plan has unfolded about as well as anyone could have expected—heartbreaking postseason losses aside—but for Smith and the Redskins, a nasty injury has muddied the waters.
Through nine games, the Redskins were 6-3 with real hopes for a postseason berth if they could handle a tough schedule down the stretch. Then came Week 11, a game in which Smith went down against the Houston Texans with the sort of grotesque injury that forces you to turn your head (or the channel). The Redskins finished 7-9 on the season.
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A nasty open fracture that required surgery also got infected, which only lengthened Smith’s time on the shelf. At this point, questions have already been raised whether Smith can return from such a leg injury as it is, and the infected time will likely keep him from returning in time to start the season with the Redskins. Even then, nothing is known as so much of a patient’s timeline and ability come down to each individual at work—and Smith has been clear about his intention to do what it takes to come back.
The entire cloud of uncertainty, anchored by Smith’s four-year contract for $72 million he signed last offseason after the trade, leaves the Redskins in an awkward position. Smith is now 34-years-old and coming off of a truly horrific injury. He’s also overcome long odds before to be a competent, even Pro Bowl caliber, starter in the NFL—a rarity for many teams, including Washington.
Washington executive Bruce Allen spoke this week about several topics to the media in a postseason presser and admitted the team is going to take its time to figure things out. The draft is not for months, so the team can do its homework on available passers while also knowing they will have a clearer picture of Smith’s ability in late April. Allen was also positive about Smith’s potential.
Bruce Allen in his first remarks in months is asked about Alex Smith" "We're optimistic, if anyone can come back it's Alex...we'll see." He will not say the Redskins are looking for another quarterback
— Les Carpenter (@Lescarpenter) January 22, 2019
Smith recently made an appearance at a Washington Wizards game, and the close-ups of his leg give a decent picture of the amount of hardware needed to keep everything in place.
Alex Smith made an appearance in the Wizards locker room. pic.twitter.com/eUDdHfgg5P
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) January 21, 2019
As Chiefs fans, we’d certainly love to see Smith enjoy a few more years of success in the NFL. He was exactly what the Chiefs needed when Andy Reid arrived to right the ship and implement a winning culture in Kansas City. He was an ideal mentor for Patrick Mahomes, a solid performer under center, a community hero and true team leader. It’s those qualities that would keep most of us from ever betting against the man who has already proven his mettle at the highest level.