Alex Smith has been long overlooked, not just by the NFL, but the entire world. Despite all this, the Washington Redskins believe. They believe Smith can take them to the next level, and so do I.
No one seems to appreciate current Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith. Not the San Francisco 49ers and not the Kansas City Chiefs, which is bizarre, because since he came into the league, he’s been nothing but stable and consistent.
It seems that the NFL and it’s fan base determines success in a different manner. I guess quarterbacks have to be flashy, throw the deep ball, and be extremely risky. I do agree with some of these attributes, but I don’t overlook stability.
The Redskins have dealt with inconsistent quarterbacks and their performances for more than a decade. It’s been one of the focal points as to why this organization has been declared dysfunctional. Let’s recap some, shall we?
Patrick Ramsey, Tim Hasslebeck, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman and John Beck. As seen recently, the Redskins have dealt with commitment issues from Kirk Cousins as well. The point is, there are 32 NFL teams, and most of them don’t have the luxury of a quarterback that can lead them for more than five seasons.
Smith has been nothing but the backbone for every franchise he’s played for. In San Francisco, Smith was was 20-5-1, before Colin Kaepernick took over. In Kansas City, he was 50-26. Yes, he had a 1-4 playoff record, but he has a career record of 88-62-1.
Looking back through the past decade, most people would have players such as Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo, or Matt Stafford, ahead of Smith, but I see differently. Looking at the stats closely, you realize that Smith’s numbers hold their own against these greats. Smith’s success has proven that he should not only be in the conversation with these individuals, but ahead of some of them.
Now that we’ve established why Smith is one of the elite quarterbacks in the league, let’s go through why he will finish in the Top 10 at his position this season.
Weapons
There’s a reason why Alex Smith wanted to come to Washington: Offensive firepower. Smith practically has the same layout for success in Washington as he did in Kansas City last year. He had Tyreek Hill, Albert Wilson, De’Anthony Thomas, and Travis Kelce as receiving threats, and had Kareem Hunt as an elusive power back.
In Washington, Smith has Paul Richardson, Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Jordan Reed for his receiving options. Then he has Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson for the ground game. In both situations, there are quick receivers, a big tight end, and a solid running game.
You can make the argument that the Redskins provide more weapons for Smith to use than the Chiefs did because the Redskins have more options at wide receiver. The trio of Richardson, Doctson, and Crowder is a major upgrade from the trio of Hill, Wilson, and Thomas. Besides Hill, no one was even relevant at the wide out position.
If healthy, Jordan Reed has the potential to be just as good, if not better, than Travis Kelce. Smith has always thrived off a big target tight end, and he will be sure to get that with Reed. Let’s not forget that Smith is reuniting with Vernon Davis as well, who has proven to be a more than capable backup that can be inserted into the starting lineup and be just as productive.
Kareem Hunt was great last season. He produced 1,327 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground. On top of this, he added 455 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. These numbers normally would be hard to replicate, but the Redskins backfield shouldn’t have a problem, as they now have stout rookie rusher Derrius Guice, who has the potential to be the Kareem Hunt of 2018.
Chris Thompson was on pace for a career year before he went down with a leg injury in 2017, and Derrius Guice will be the physical runner that the Redskins have been so desperately searching for. As long as the offensive line isn’t plagued with injuries, this one-two punch combo will be able out-produce Hunt’s numbers from last year’s campaign.
Offensive Line
It’s safe to say that the Redskins’ offensive line woes last season occurred largely due to injuries. This was one of the best lines in the NFL prior to last year. Here is the projected starting lineup for 2018:
Left Tackle: Trent Williams
Left Guard: Shawn Lauvao
Center: Chase Roullier
Right Guard: Brandon Scherff
Right Tackle: Morgan Moses
Roullier, out of Wyoming, was one of the sleeper draft picks in 2017. His development will be key in his first year as the full-time starter, but with a full offseason and valuable first-team reps, Roullier will be able to make the significant jump that he needs.
Moses has been one of the talents the Redskins have taken their time to develop, which has been one of the better moves by the coaching staff. He’s turned out to be one of the better right tackles in the league.
Williams has had the proper amount of time to heal from his injuries, and Scherff has yet to disappoint. These individuals will continue to be the focal points of this line and will lead the other players in the right direction.
Without a doubt, this line will be Top 10 in 2018. This means more production from Smith. They will be able to give Smith a considerable amount of time in the pocket to make his decisions. As a defense, the last thing you want to do is give Smith more time.
In addition to all this, the screen game will be more effective, as all these linemen are great at getting down field to help block. It will be easy for Smith to get Thompson in the open field to work his magic. And of course with a healthy, effective line, comes a productive running game.
Progression and Accuracy
For far too long, Smith has been discredited, criticized, and scrutinized for his lackluster passing. Last season, as most people know, Smith had his best season ever. He threw for 4,042 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Since he is a mobile quarterback, we can’t forget that he ran for 355 yards and scored 1 touchdown in that department as well.
Smith put all the doubt to rest with these numbers and spring-boarded himself into the Top 10 quarterbacks conversation. He finished 8th in passing yards and 9th in touchdowns. Lastly, he finished 3rd in completion percentage at 67.5 percent, only behind Drew Brees and Case Keenum.
Since he left San Francisco, Smith has only progressed statistically each season. He’s been widely known as a game manager for his entire career, but now that he’s added deep ball accuracy to his repertoire, he’s absolutely earned himself to be in the conversation for the Top 10 quarterbacks in the league.
Yes, he’s entering a new system under Jay Gruden, but Smith looks to take advantage of his successful 2017 campaign. Gruden will be sure to recognize Smith’s deep ball accuracy and make sure that the Redskins offense can take advantage of it.
It’s only fair to assume that Smith is at the prime of his career and will give his best years to Washington. He’s always been a mobile quarterback that doesn’t make mistakes, which has provided him with a successful career thus far. He’s naturally become more aggressive and expanding his skill set with the deep ball only makes him a more lethal player.
Next: Redskins Training Camp Profile: NT Daron Payne
Smith is not to be underestimated anymore. He’s to be recognized as a Top 10 quarterback in the league and will continue to prove it this coming season. The NFL needs to be put on notice as his arsenal only continues to expand.