Alex Smith’s return doesn’t change starting QB situation for Washington

Alex Smith is back in pads, and no one is happier than, well, everyone. But the speculation regarding his return and how it will impact the team’s starting quarterback decision may be overblown.

The Washington Football Team announced on Sunday that veteran quarterback Alex Smith had been removed from the PUP list, freeing him up to hit the practice field with his fellow players. The move was met with widespread celebration, as it came nearly two years after Smith suffered a catastrophic leg injury, that was life-threatening at its worst moments.

Smith, of course, won’t be thrown into the fire right away, regardless of his standing with the team. Even though he’s been removed from the PUP list, the team still has to make the separate decision to clear him for game day contact.

With that being said, Smith’s return has already caused some speculation, regarding who will be the starting quarterback for the Washington Football Team, and whether Smith will compete for the job. Ron Rivera has said as much — that Smith will compete if he’s at full health. But that’s not necessarily new information, and it doesn’t contradict any expectations that Haskins will end up being the starter.

Rivera has said from the beginning that competition will be at the root of the roster building process in Washington under his watch, and that all jobs will be earned. Saying that Smith will compete isn’t so much an endorsement of Smith’s contact readiness as it is a continuation of the theme of competition under Rivera. While Smith has been cleared for practice, he’s still not yet one-hundred percent, and that could impede his ability to legitimately compete.

Carrying on with the focus on competition, Dwayne Haskins has a sizable head start on everyone else in the Washington Football Team’s quarterback room. Although he hasn’t been named the starter yet, reviews have been glowing for Haskins all offseason, and he’s reportedly done everything in his power to seize the top job.

Additionally, Smith being on the practice field, present for Haskins to learn from, is only going to be of benefit to the young quarterback and his progress. Smith isn’t known to hoard opportunities — in fact, just the opposite: He was revered in Kansas City and beyond for mentoring Patrick Mahomes, despite the threat Mahomes posed to his career. There’s no reason to expect anything different from Smith toward Haskins.

The comeback story feels like it shouldn’t stop with Smith being a mere backup, and he might find his way into the starting lineup again one day. But for now, Smith’s return doesn’t change anything, as far as Washington’s starting quarterback situation goes.

Haskins is the front runner, and has by far the most upside. He’s begun to blossom as a leader and a player, and is on a cheap rookie contract for three more seasons. Starting anyone but Haskins, at this point, would be of detriment to the team’s ability to make informed decisions in the future, and perhaps of detriment to the team’s quality on the field.