Washington Redskins Starting Quarterback Alex Smith Expected To Miss The 2019-2020 Season With Leg Injury

Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith (11) calls a play during a NFL pre-season game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Jets, on August 16, 2018, at Fedex Field, in Landover, Maryland. The Redskins defeated the Jets 15-13. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Last year the Washington Redskins made the choice of going with Alex Smith as their Starting Quarterback and signed him to a four-year extension. Now a year later they are reportedly preparing to play the 2019 season without Smith at the helm.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Redskins believe Smith will miss the entire 2019 season after a gruesome broken leg prematurely ended his first season in Washington in mid-November. After undergoing surgery and reported complications and infection the team is not shire if he’s going to play in the future. The team finds itself in an interesting position. At 34, Smith carries a $20.4 million cap hit in 2019 and a $21.4 million cap hit in 2020. They do have backup Colt McCoy but while it’s not as serious as Smith’s, he is dealing with a leg injury of his own.

Do the Skins look at free agency to find an inexpensive option or look to use their first-round pick on a signal caller? A QB like Duke’s Daniel Jones or West Virginia’s Will Grier may be available.

One storyline to follow for 2019: The #Redskins are planning as if they won’t have QB Alex Smith next season, sources say. They believe he’ll miss the entire season with his broken leg issues and are acting accordingly. If he’s ready, they will be pleasantly surprised.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2019