Alex Smith’s future isn’t certain yet. Kyle Allen is an exclusive rights free agent. Taylor Heinicke is a restricted free agent. Dwayne Haskins, once the quarterback of the future, now is with the Steelers.
So who is Washington going to have as its starting quarterback next season?
Coach Ron Rivera doesn’t even seem to know yet.
“We’re still in a situation where we’re looking at all of our options,” Rivera said Wednesday, via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington.
Washington called the Lions about quarterback Matthew Stafford and made a considerable offer, according to multiple reports. With Stafford off to Los Angeles, the search continues for Rivera, whose team drafts 19th.
“I think the biggest thing is we have to make sure we find the right one. That’s the key,” Rivera said. “Is it imperative to find them right now? No, not necessarily. We would love to, but as we go through this process we’re going to exhaust all avenues.”
Smith, 36, is signed through 2022 with $40 million owed to him over the next two seasons and a salary cap hit of $24.4 million for 2021. He has not committed to a return next season but sounded as if he was leaning toward a return last week in an interview on The Rachel Ray Show.
Smith is a lock for Comeback Player of the Year, which the NFL will announce at the Honors show Saturday night.
Rivera wasn’t as effusive in his praise of Smith on Wednesday as he was during and immediately after the season.
“We have to continue to go through our process,” Rivera said, via Sam Fortier of The Washington Post. “We’ve got to sit down to talk about it and discuss it.”