Alex Smith
QB FA
Mon 4/19/21 11:58 AM

Smith (calf) announced his retirement Monday, Grant Paulsen of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith made it back from his severe leg injury after a year away from football, winning five of six starts in 2020 to help Washington reach the playoffs. He missed the end of the season with a calf injury and was released by the team in early March. News4Jax.com suggests Jaguars coach Urban Meyer was interested in signing Smith earlier this offseason but was dissuaded by his team's medical staff. The veteran quarterback now is opting for retirement a few weeks before he celebrates his 37th birthday.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Fri 3/5/21 9:53 AM3 Comments

Smith (calf) was officially released by Washington on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
The 36-year-old didn't have much of a trade market with two years remaining on the four-year, $94 million extension he signed in 2018, so it was only a matter of time before he was cut by Washington. Smith still believes he can continue playing in the NFL but also indicated he may consider retirement. He earned Comeback Player of the Year honors after completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,582 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games during 2020.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Mon 3/1/21 10:26 AM3 Comments

The Washington Football Team is expected to "part ways" with Smith (calf) in the coming days, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith presumably will be released, as he isn't likely to have any trade value with two seasons remaining on a four-year, $94 million extension. Any trade would require the 36-year-old QB to take a pay cut, and even then he'd probably be looking at a backup job or a slim shot to win a starting role. Smith recently expressed confidence in his ability to continue playing in the NFL, but he might consider retirement if he's released by Washington and can't find another opportunity to his liking.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Tue 2/23/21 2:27 PM

Smith believes he can still play in the NFL, but he still hasn't made a final decision on continuing his career, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith was the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year in 2020, returning from a devastating leg injury to make six starts for Washington. He won five of those games en route to a playoff berth, but Smith also made a lot of mistakes -- including eight interceptions -- and missed the end of the season with a calf injury. He has two years remaining on his contract, but he might need to accept a pay cut to stay in Washington, as the team can free up approximately $14.7 million in cap space if Smith is released. It isn't clear if Smith wants to stay in Washington, play elsewhere or retire.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Sun 1/10/21 2:42 PM

Smith, who missed Saturday's playoff loss to the Buccaneers due to a strained right calf muscle, has yet to make a decision on whether he plans to continue his playing career, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
The report notes that the veteran a QB plans to take some time this offseason before making a call on his career plans. After suffering a devastating leg injury in November of 2018, Smith -- who has two more years left on his contract -- beat the odds and made it back to Washington's lineup this past season, starting six games for the team. With the franchise already having moved on from 2019 first-rounder Dwayne Haskins, the team's QB situation remains fluid, with its plans for Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen to be determined.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Sat 1/9/21 7:04 PM

Smith (calf) is inactive for Saturday's wild-card game against the Buccaneers, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post
EDGE Analysis
Smith entered the weekend as questionable to play, but his right hamstring continues to be bothersome and won't allow him to suit up, resulting in his third absence over the last four contests. In Smith's stead, Taylor Heinicke will direct Washington's offense.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Sat 1/9/21 4:50 PM

Smith (calf) is not expected to be active for Saturday's wild-card contest against the Buccaneers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
The report made sure to suggest it wasn't a pain tolerance issue, more so the expected game plan could not be functionally run with a limited Smith under center. As a result, expect Taylor Heinicke to get the start with Steven Montez set to back up the 27-year-old signal caller.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Sat 1/9/21 10:09 AM

Smith (calf) will be evaluated Saturday morning but appears to be trending in the wrong direction to suit up for the wild-card game against the Buccaneers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
It's unclear if Washington will make the call on its quarterback situation closer to the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff or earlier Saturday, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Smith sit considering the veteran handled very few practice reps throughout the week. Instead, Taylor Heinicke, whom coach Ron Rivera suggested could be part of a quarterback rotation even if Smith was healthy enough to play, could get the start for Washington.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Thu 1/7/21 2:23 PM

Smith (calf) is listed as questionable for Saturday's wild-card game against the Buccaneers, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
EDGE Analysis
Smith didn't handle many reps in practice this week, instead taking a back seat to backup Taylor Heinicke. Earlier this week, coach Ron Rivera mentioned the potential for a quarterback rotation Saturday, and he also called Smith "a little bit sore," per Jhabvala. Smith seems poised to play through a balky right calf this weekend, but whether he can handle a full allotment of snaps remains to be seen.

Alex Smith
QB FA
Wed 1/6/21 2:44 PM

Smith (calf) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
The activity level is an upgrade from Tuesday, when Smith was listed as a non-participant on Washington's estimated practice report. Smith will likely get another start in the wild-card round this weekend against Tampa after he returned for Week 17, but coach Ron Rivera suggested Tuesday that Taylor Heinicke could also get some snaps at quarterback. Smith struggled in the Week 17 win over Philadelphia, throwing a pair of interceptions while displaying little-to-no mobility while he managed the right calf injury.