Alex Smith and his return to the NFL became the feel good story in an otherwise difficult 2020 season. The veteran quarterback won Comeback Player of the Year and boosted the Washington Football Team into the postseason, capturing an NFC East division title along the way.
But, the fairytale isn’t over yet.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Smith isn’t ready to retire just yet and “does want to play somewhere” next season. He’ll be 37 by the time offseason workouts ramp up this summer, but still hopes to find a role in 2021.
It’s unclear if Smith will return to Washington to play for Ron Rivera next year. Although he still has two years remaining on his deal, the former No. 1 overall pick has the chance to opt out. After Washington signed playoff breakout Taylor Heinicke to a two-year contract this offseason, it’s possible that the organization will want to move on from Smith entirely.
Alex Smith isn’t ready to retire and “does wants to play somewhere” in 2021, per @JFowlerESPN pic.twitter.com/0XHVfyItoa
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 14, 2021
If Washington chooses to let him walk, Smith will be an interesting name on the market. With a concerning injury history, the 36-year-old will only generate interest as a back-up, at best. More likely, a team may try to bring Smith into a young quarterback room as a veteran presence.
Although his upside isn’t much at this point, the 2005 No. 1 overall pick pleasantly surprised last season. After Washington benched Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen went down with a season-ending injury, Smith inherited the job. He performed admirably down the stretch, going 5-1 as a starter and landed the Football Team in the postseason. A lingering calf injury held him out of Washington’s playoff loss, but his late season stretch earned him praise as well as the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Smith ended 2020 with a 66.7 completion percentage, 1,582 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Even though he might not be back in Washington next season, Alex Smith will surely be on a roster come September.
Who knows? Maybe he’ll continues his remarkable comeback and lead another organization into the postseason in 2021.
The post Alex Smith Reportedly Makes Decision On 2021 NFL Season appeared first on The Spun.
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