It’s fair to say there was a collective gasp of shock and joy when news broke that Alex Smith had been cleared to return to football activities. The next question is can he return to the starting lineup in Washington? Here are a few factors that Washington has to consider with Smith back in the fold.
Is Haskins the answer long-term?
With a small sample size of nine games, Dwayne Haskins didn’t incite much excitement or hope for the future of the position in D.C. Haskins played in nine games, seven of which he started, and the team went 2-7 during that span. Yes, I said “the team” on purpose, with them now being called the Washington Football Team… goodness.
Haskins has slimmed down and appears to be taking his off-season very seriously. A fresh start with head coach Ron Rivera also benefits Haskins. But Rivera brought a friend from Carolina who might rain on his parade.
Rivera traded for Kyle Allen for a reason
Pretty obvious that Rivera is comfortable with Allen competing for a starting spot. Allen started 12 games under Rivera with the Panthers and went 5-7 in that span. If you start 12 games for a guy and that same guy trades for you, it’s safe to say he likes you.
Allen is no real threat to challenge Haskins for his starting job, but he could axe Smith’s chances of making the roster, depending on how Smith fares in his return to football activities. If that’s the case, where does that leave Smith?
Teams that make sense for Smith
A good backup is important to any serious contender, just ask the 2017 Eagles. Alex Smith would be a fantastic backup on football IQ alone. It would be reckless to say for sure he can still play at a high level after his injury, but it is possible he can. If Washington decides to move on from him, where could Smith end up?
- Seattle Seahawks (current backup is Geno Smith)
- Tennessee Titans (current backup is Logan Woodside)
- Minnesota Vikings (current backup is Sean Mannion)
- New York Jets (current backup is David Fales) – Smith could be a good mentor for Sam Darnold
- Jacksonville Jaguars (current backup is Joshua Dobbs) – Smith could mentor Minshew or take his job if he plays like his old self.
Whether Smith ends up staying in Washington or ends up somewhere else, it will be an amazing sight if he can return to the field.
