The Washington Football Team is expected to release Alex Smith, sources tell Kim Jones and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The quarterback still wants to play and there should be plenty of opportunities for him elsewhere. 
Smith’s return from a horrific injury suffered in November 2018 was one of the 2020 season’s best stories. The Washington Football Team went 5-1 in his starts and managed to win the NFC East with Smith at the helm. But, recently, Smith said that Ron Rivera & Co. didn’t want him back initially.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said in February. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance… “[T]hey tried to put me on PUP for two weeks, then they tried to IR me. I felt like I still hadn’t had my fair shake at that point. I wanted to see if I could play quarterback and play football, and I feel like I hadn’t been given that opportunity yet to find that out.”
Smith, 36, found out that he can still play. In 2020, his salary was fully guaranteed, so it would have made little sense for the team to drop him. This time around, his $24.4MM cap charge had only $8.6MM locked in. By releasing Smith, WFT will save $14.7MM on the books.
I hope some team gives him a chance if he wants to play next season. He definitely looked good enough to make a roster.
49ers to back up Jimmy G
His story is a great litmus test for where you stand on millionaires vs billionaires. Great he got the guarantee, but prevented WFT from being able to spend on a real replacement once he went down.
They guaranteed him the money prior to injury though, and he got hurt playing for them. Hypothetically, had they been able to cut him and not shell out a dime, that’d be pretty awful. One could argue the NFL could allow for injury exceptions to the cap, and that’d be beneficial in this situation. Cutting a guy loose though and taking his money when he got hurt working for you would be almost as low as a franchise could go, however.
He sounds like a Belichick kind of guy, team first. A rare commodity these days!
Pats will definitely be insterested
He doesn’t fit in the Patriots system. I’m not saying the Patriots would use him as a bridge QB for a year or two but, it’s a whole different system in Washington than it is in New England
Can’t be any worse of a system fit than Cam Newton
Can need to go to Chicago that all are fans talked about was why Mitch who I liked but Cam would be a better fit than both foles & Mitch: I like Cam & Mitch this season send foles to Philly for a 6th round pick if he starts 2 games we get a 5th pick
Depending on how much he wants to play vs mentor. A good fit would be Jacksonville. Can you think of a better pro mentor for Lawrence than Smith?
If he is okay with just being a mentor, that’s great.
I’m just not sure what team would give him playing time at this point.
Also, random question, what happens to Minshew in Jacksonville? I know he doesn’t cost much, but I wouldn’t use him as a mentor for the first overall pick.
The Urban Meyer/ Alex Smith connection cannot be overlooked -he could be a decent bridge QB at least.
As for the Mustache man, he will be moved to someone who misses out in the QB carousel. But not the Bears-don’t think the Minshee/Foles duo would work in Chicago any better than it did in Jvllie.
Urban Meyer/ Alex Smith connection ? The Jags are going to draft Trevor Lawrence ! Alex Smith will not be in Jacksonville!
Urban Meyer was his college coach so that’s the connection. However, Urban coached many players in the NFL so not sure if that connection matters.
Peter…excellent points…there are certainly worse places to hold the clip board and mentor a young QB
Just retire man. You’ve got a family. You shouldn’t risk another injury.
you could say that to any NFL player to some extent.
Think Alex Smith is a lil bit on another level and in his own class with that horrific injury where he could’ve died.
yeah, to some extent, though the nature of football makes a serious injury that affects your future quality of life not out of the question.
His trophy wife had the leg brace made into a trophy. That puts Alex Smith on another level.
Great story and no one will ever question his commitment. Please walk away while you still can.
link to instagram.com
Totally expected, low mobility, injury prone, all not good and prolly too high a pay check for a backup spot
Wonder if a San Francisco reunion could be in the fold to back up/compete with Jimmy G. Don’t know if there’s any hard feelings between the two, but the offense suits him.
Anything would be better then mullens and cj. I’ll take him as a back up to jimmy he can teach Rosen a thing or two
Dallas or cincinnati. it would be perfect mentorship for both. both qb are yound both suffered horrible leg injury’s, and both could definitely learn from him
Washington doesn’t know a QB if it hit them in the face. Could’ve won with Smith.
The WTF saw what Smith could do. The damage/loss of tissue in his leg clearly prevents him from playing week-in and week-out, irrespective of other injuries. Who wants a part time starting quarterback?
Theismann, Griffin, Smith. The team with no name feels it’s time to offer another QB the chance to suffer a horrendous injury.
I remember watching that playoff game on TV with a few suds, while not even close to being a doctor, & knowing that RG3 was badly injured. Yet Mike S kept sending him back out. Only, then Skins, would intentionally blow out their knee of there QB that they just traded up for. Naturally I switched to something harder than a Budweiser.
I remember Lawrence Taylor jumping up and down and waving to the Washington sideline for them to get their medical staff out there. Absolutely petrifying, because you knew Theismann had to be really badly hurt to get that kind of an almost child-like reaction out of LT.
if he’ll settle to be a backup I like him in Philly.
I could see Jets giving him a chance since he should know the 49ers style offense. I’ve posted in several comments that my preference is to keep Sam Darnold and use #2 on Penei Sewell rather than make any of the suggested trades or picking any of the consolation QBs. Smith could come in as a backup and mentor. The Jets should also see what they have in James Morgan during the preseason.
As a Bears fan I almost kind of hope we sign him.
This is a pretty sad comment on the state of the Bears QBs.
Nagy has history with Smith and I’m sure Smith would think that he can compete against Foles….If I’m the Bears I do it and still draft a QB like a Trask, Mond or Mills.
That might be a decent plan except the Bears probably won’t carry 3 QBs on the active roster. They can’t dump Foles because of his $9 mill guarantee and I doubt they’d want a high pick QB to be inactive… If only Pace the Ace had drafted… never mind..
I like Alex Smith. He is the consummate football guy. Five years in SF with five different OCs, gets pushed out by Crappernick. KC pushed out by Mahomes, Washington ugly injury but comes back. Never complains, ask for trade, trashes teammates just great pro. I hope he gets another chance because he deserves it.
Take the Money from WFT.
Be glad you are alive,
Be glad that you can walk,
Yet alone even run,
You proved yourself.
Enjoy your loved ones and being alive.
Football is only a game.
Washington is a joke of a team and all of their QBs as terrible now that Alex isn’t there. He was the only thing that was good last season.
Ron Rivera is finally re-establishing some sanity after 5 years of GM Bruce Allen’s nonsense. Smith is done as a starting QB. Swallow the cap consequences and move on.
Smith got to go to Chicago on a bonus laten contract that if he’s start 2 games