Alex Smith Not Expected To Be Ready For Start Of 2019 Season

Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Redskins QB Alex Smith, who battling an infection after sustaining a gruesome leg injury a few weeks ago, remains in the hospital and is not expected to be able to return for the start of the 2019 season.

“No one has been able to definitively say he is going to play football going forward,” Rapoport said. “Of course everyone hopes that he is, but if you’re the Washington Redskins the reality is Smith is unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2019 season. They know right now they do need to find a quarterback to at least begin the season with. It’s just unclear whether that’s going to come in free agency or potentially in the draft.”

Rapoport adds that there’s still a lot of uncertainty regarding Smith’s NFL future.

“Unfortunately for Alex Smith, he is still in the hospital, still trying to battle this infection,” Rapoport said. “A lot going forward for Alex Smith.”

On Saturday, Mike Garafolo reported that Smith has had nearly a half-dozen surgeries to remove infected tissue in his leg. According to Garafolo, doctors inserted a metal plate into Smith’s leg to bind the broken bones, but it, unfortunately, got infected and had to be taken out.

Smith, 34, is a former first-round pick of the 49ers back in 2005. After seven years in San Francisco, Smith was traded to the Chiefs in 2013.

Smith was in the fourth year of his five-year, $76 million contract that includes $45 million guaranteed and set to make a base salary of $10.8 million for the 2018 season when he was traded to the Redskins back in March.

The Redskin and Smith later agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract that included $55 million fully guaranteed.

In 2018, Smith appeared in 10 games for the Redskins and completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards receiving to go along with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown.

We’ll have more regarding Smith as the news is available.