Ron Rivera won’t rule Alex Smith out of Washington’s quarterback competition

Ron Rivera isn’t yet ready to rule Alex Smith out of the Washington Football Team’s quarterback competition.

It looked like the 2020 season was going to be another lost year for Alex Smith. The veteran quarterback missed all of 2019 after suffering a brutal leg injury midway through the 2018 NFL season against the Houston Texans and was still dealing with the long recovery from that.

Smith underwent numerous surgeries and spent months in the hospital following the injury. He nearly lost his leg due to an infection and his life due to sepsis. But nonetheless, he has trucked on and has put himself in position to complete his comeback.

Just before the Washington Football Team started training camp, Smith was cleared for football activity. He started camp on the PUP list but so far, he has looked good in practice, per reports.

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Now, Ron Rivera has spoken about Smith’s comeback attempt. And he seemed encouraged by Smith’s recovery at this point.

“He’s looked good, he really has. I’ll be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by how far along he really is,” Rivera said, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “He’s looked really fluid, he really has.”

That’s certainly encouraging. But even more encouraging is the fact that Rivera won’t yet count Smith out of the team’s quarterback competition, provided that the team feels comfortable that he can protect himself on the field.

“The big thing is if he can do the things we need him to do, that he needs to do to help himself on the field,” Rivera said, per ESPN’s John Keim. “He’ll be part of the conversation most definitely. … We’ll see how he is this week.

“It’s a matter of: Can he do the movements he needs to do? Can he protect himself when on the field? He’s going to have to hand the ball off, drop back in the pocket and throw the ball. He’s going to have to escape. We have to make sure he can do those things and protect himself as he plays.”

That’s all completely reasonable. It’s no surprise that the team is taking an extremely cautious approach with Smith. If there’s any inkling of doubt about him seeing the field, they won’t take that risk with him and will instead stash him on the PUP list until they’re more comfortable getting him on the field.

There is one question that Smith’s potential return will bring up among Washington fans. What does it mean for Dwayne Haskins? Well, Rivera praised Haskins for the effort he has put in to learn Scott Turner’s offense.

“He’s done a great job studying and preparing and getting himself ready,” Rivera said of Haskins, per Keim. “He’s been great. He’s been on the field doing things asked of him. He’s done the extra stuff he and I talked about in the offseason. He’s done the things I think put him right there where he needs to be at this junction. He’s done the job that I think deserves recognition.”

Right now, Haskins should still be favored to start the 2020 season. But Rivera will hold an open competition that will include Haskins, Smith, and Kyle Allen at the position. Simply put, Rivera loves competition because it brings out the best in his players. And hopefully, it helps light a fire in the quarterback room.

No matter how you look at it, Smith’s accelerated return timeline is good news for Washington. If he can get on the field, he can help push Haskins and bring out the best in the 2019 first-round pick. And off the field, Smith will set a good example for Haskins, Allen, and Steven Montez. Smith is a consummate pro and will be an asset to this team as a veteran leader, no matter what the role will be.

And what might that role actually be? Smith will probably operate in a similar role to Teddy Bridgewater near the end of his time with the Minnesota Vikings. After missing a year and a half with a gruesome knee injury, Bridgewater returned as a backup for the Vikings. He started as a projected third-stringer but amid issues with Sam Bradford’s knee, he became the No. 2 option behind Case Keenum. Bridgewater played just once in 2017 but went on to be a hot commodity as a potential starter in later offseasons.

Smith is much older than Bridgewater was at the time of his injury, but he could follow a similar path. Washington could trust their young passers early in the season but if either struggle, get hurt, or deal with an illness, Smith could step in as a viable backup or starter. It all depends on whether or not he is healthy as Rivera stated.

Smith’s recovery will be something to watch throughout the month of August. If he can get on the field and prove healthy, Washington may well have to think about keeping him on the roster for 2020. And keeping three quarterbacks could definitely shake up the outlook of the team’s 53-man roster.