Washington Football Team reportedly wants Alex Smith back in 2021

The Washington Football Team wants to bring back Alex Smith in 2021.

Few, if any, thought that Alex Smith was going to play for the Washington Football Team in 2020. He was still recovering from a brutal leg injury that required 17 surgeries to fix and nearly cost him both his limb and his life back in 2018.

Incredibly, Smith was able to get back into action this season and not only has he been on Washington’s active roster, he has emerged as their starting quarterback in wake of Dwayne Haskins‘ ineffective play and Kyle Allen‘s season-ending injury.

Evidently, the Washington Football Team is pleased with what Smith has done this year, as he has led the team to a 1-1 record in two starts. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team wants Smith back for the 2021 season.

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"Coach Ron Rivera and his staff want Smith back for the 2021 season, sources say. A nod to not only his leadership in the quarterback room, but also simply how he’s played. Smith has not said publicly or privately whether he wants to play in 2021, but he is under contract through 2022.Smith is set to make $19 million next season, a perfectly reasonable rate for a bridge quarterback as WFT continues its search for its next franchise QB — whether it’s Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen or someone acquired in a trade or the draft."

This is a perfectly sensible plan for Washington. Smith has looked solid when on the field this year. His mobility obviously isn’t the same, but he still has his patented accuracy and he has been able to push the ball downfield on occasion. In his two starts, he has completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 556 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Despite being surrounded by minimal weaponry, he has gotten the job down.

Also, Smith’s contract certainly would play a role in a potential return for him. As Rapoport noted, he is owed $19 million in 2021, a number that is looking more and more reasonable given the burgeoning quarterback market. Washington should be willing to pay that price given Smith’s solid performance and the fact that they would dodge $10.8 million in dead cap space by keeping him around as opposed to cutting him.

Smith obviously wouldn’t be a long-term option for Washington, but he could hold the fort until one of the team’s young quarterbacks is ready to step into a starting role whether that’s Haskins, Allen, or a passer from the 2021 NFL Draft class.

And if the team elects to wait on drafting a QB, they could build up the rest of the team by strengthening their weaknesses on the offensive line, at tight end, at receiver, at linebacker, and at safety while seeing if one of these passers can lead them to success.

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No matter how you look at it, keeping Smith around makes sense. He’s earned another year with the team with his play so far. Barring a setback or regression, keeping him is surely a sensible move, especially since his leadership has been a big-time positive for the team.

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