As the Washington Redskins’ 2018 season comes to a close there are plenty of questions going into the off-season. Their biggest is the health and stability at quarterback, centered around Alex Smith.
When asked about an update on Smith’s recovery, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden provided few details, but reading between the lines it’s clear what’s at stake for Smith.
“We’re obviously hopeful he can turn a corner and start the rehab process and possibly get back on the field, Gruden said per Adam Shefter of ESPN. “That’s all we can hope for right now.”
As many know, Smith suffered a compound fracture in his leg on a sack in a Week 11 loss to the Houston Texans. He broken both his fibula and tibia, and required emergency surgery. Unfortunately, he developed an infection that reportedly required multiple additional surgeries to combat.
He was released from the hospital nearly a month after his injury on Dec. 15. He faces a long road to recovery and his football future is in doubt, leaving the Redskins to comb through other options at quarterback for next season.
Gruden’s reply wasn’t as “hopeful” is he may have intended. But, Smith remains optimistic that he will return to the playing field. If so, the question still remains, when?
Initially, Smith’s recovery timetable was set at 8-to-10 months. However, it’s unclear how the infection and additional surgeries affect the timetable. He is not expected to be recovered for the start of the 2019 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Meanwhile, Smith carries a $20.4 million cap hit for 2019. The only other quarterback under contract for next season is Colt McCoy, who suffered a fractured fibula in his second of two starts following Smith’s injury.
The Redskins have many things to fix from personnel, pending free agents, and coaching staff among others, but all may be overshadowed by the uncertainty that remains at quarterback.
