Alex Smith's Return is a Net Gain For Everyone

In a statement shared by the Washington Football Team Sunday, quarterback Alex Smith was cleared for football activities and was activated from the physically unable to perform list.

This is the culmination of a miraculous comeback that took nearly two years to complete. The quarterback injured his lower-leg in a game against the Houston Texans on November 18th, 2018. It was a horrific injury that resulted in a spiral fracture of his tibia and fibula, as he tried to spin out of a potential sack.

As a result, Smith had to undergo 17 surgeries, and eight months in an external fixator to stabilize his lower leg. There was even a question of whether amputation would be a wise decision in order to save himself from sepsis, a potentially fatal blood infection. Now, according to reports, Smith is available to take the field.

But where does he fit in Washington? It will be interesting to monitor over the next few weeks.

According to head coach Ron Rivera, it’s going to be a calculated approach. “It’s a little bit more difficult with Alex because of the specific movements we’ve got to continue to watch and see as he continues to get stronger and stronger. The only way he’s going to know is by doing all of the drills, and that’s one of the things that [Head Athletic Trainer] Ryan Vermillion and his staff have been working with Alex on, is getting him the opportunity to do all the specific quarterback drills.”

“So, as he continues to go through them and we continue to watch, we notice that he is getting stronger and stronger. His movements are all coming back. But again, we don’t want to put him on the field and expose him until the proper opportunity comes. We’re trying to be smart. We’re trying to be diligent in this situation because of Alex’s circumstances. He’s been tremendous right now and we expect him to continue to develop and grow. When the moment’s right, at the appropriate time we’ll make our decision.”

These quotes were shared in a Zoom interview on August 10th, exhibiting Rivera’s perspective on Smith’s return. What can be gathered is that although Smith is showing progress in his movement, he still has quite a way to go in terms of engaging in a full practice. Over the last few weeks, Smith has been working on individual drills, and has practiced consecutive days with limited setbacks. He has mostly been working on his mechanics and throwing motion, but has yet to join the team in drillwork. It is important to note that the team just started practicing with pads last Thursday.

WATCH: Ron Rivera on Alex Smith

Although Smith is physically able to move around on the football field, there's still a need to be cautious and concerned. Most notably taking contact. It’s one thing being able to move on an open-practice field, but it’s a whole other issue when a 300 pound lineman is falling at your feet. What Rivera needs to do is protect Smith from himself.

Smith is a competitor, and has pushed himself beyond belief over the last two years. It takes a special person to overcome this much adversity, and I’m sure Smith is chomping at the bit to get out there and play. But his game is predicated on moving around in the pocket, and using his athleticism. If Smith does return to live action again, he needs to evolve his game and resist the urge to take off and run. Most fans forget that he was a read-option quarterback at Utah and totaled 631 rushing yards his final season in college. Nothing would be worse than to see Smith make it all the way back, just to suffer another injury again. Rivera needs to monitor Smith and bring him back slowly.

So where does this leave Alex in terms of the QB competition? That’s hard to pin down, but my early guess is still behind Haskins and Kyle Allen.

Although he may be getting increased reps on the practice field, his best contributions may simply be teaching the mental aspects of the game. Smith has shared that although he has enjoyed communicating with Haskins via the web, he would much rather be on the field and in the classroom with the quarterback. That hands on experience will benefit the sophomore QB, and provide him a soundboard.

And from Haskins’ perspective, that’s a good thing. “I’m excited for Alex. I hope he gets back to full 100 percent health. Whoever’s in the quarterback room I have to compete with. Even though he’s not really practicing with the offense, he’s still working hard. Even if we get to run together against each other in competition and drills, I’m trying to make sure he gets me better and I get him better. I look at Alex as someone who is a mentor in the room who can get me better every single day as far as who we’re getting ready for this week and who we’re getting ready for next week.”

This, like most things Haskins has done this off-season, is the right approach for this football team. Although Haskins has the inside track to take the reins of this team, he should be eyes wide-open while working with Smith. As a 13-year vet, Smith has experienced the highs and lows of the NFL, and knows how to navigate them. He also has experience as a mentor, as seen in San Francisco and Kansas City, with Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Mahomes. The latter has praised Smith for his guidance, and has attributed some of his success to the quarterback.

Therefore, the return of Alex Smith is a net-gain for the team. Even if he doesn’t take a snap, his genuine demeanor is something Rivera needs in his locker room while building culture. His competitive nature is inspirational, and should push Haskins to new heights. If he is indeed in football shape and able to play again, that’s a bonus and should light the fire for the other quarterbacks. No professional quarterback is afraid of competition, and if they are, they shouldn’t be a leader of your team. Hence, Smith in DC is a win at all levels, and should elevate the QB play in the nation’s capital.

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George Carmi joined "Washington Football" on SI.com in April. He is also an editor/contributing writer to FullPressCoverage.com or @FPC_Redskins. He is a native of the DC metropolitan area and is an avid fan of DC Sports. A former journalism major at the University of Maryland, his focus is now in public education. His earliest memories consist of Darrell Green, "The Posse" and Super Bowl XXVI. Follow him on twitter @Gcarmi21