Alex Smith avoids Washington Football Team’s cuts, will remain on 53-man roster
The step is the latest along Smith’s arduous journey back to football after suffering a compound leg fracture in November 2018. After undergoing 17 surgeries to repair the bones and to clean out an infection in his leg, Smith returned to the field at the start of training camp and progressed to the point of participating in 11-on-11 drills in shells.
That he’s staying on the 53-man roster is the surest indication yet that both he and Washington’s coaching staff believe he’s not only ready to play in a live game but could possibly help them win.
“When you get closer and closer to it, I think it just fuels it even more,” Smith said in August. “I think it’d be like running a marathon and getting close to the end of the race. I think even more that competitiveness kicks in, and I want to see if I can do it.”
Washington’s quarterback trio of Smith, Kyle Allen and appointed starter Dwayne Haskins, will be the focal point of the team’s new offense. But many others who took part in the early phases of the Ron Rivera era were let go early Saturday.
The most surprising cuts Saturday were safety Sean Davis and wide receiver Trey Quinn. Davis was signed to a one-year deal in free agency as part of Washington’s rebuilt secondary. But Troy Apke received the majority of first team reps in training camp to grab a firm hold on the starting job. Quinn, the “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2018 NFL draft, started six games at receiver last season and doubled as a punt returner.
Note: Players with fewer than four accrued seasons are waived and available to be claimed by other teams for 24 hours. If they go unclaimed, they become unrestricted free agents and can sign with any team any active team, be it for the active roster or practice squad. Players with four or more accrued seasons are free to sign anywhere upon being released.
Players who are placed on injured reserve Saturday must stay on injured reserve for the entirety of the season. Those placed on IR at least a day after the initial 53-man roster is formed are eligible to be recalled after the first three weeks of the season.
Initial 53-man roster:
Quarterbacks (3): Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, Alex Smith
Running backs (4): Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic, Bryce Love, Peyton Barber
Offensive linemen (10): Morgan Moses, Brandon Scherff, Chase Roullier, Wes Martin, Keith Ismael, Wes Schweitzer, David Sharpe, Geron Christian, Cornelius Lucas, Saahdiq Charles
Wide receivers (5): Terry McLaurin, Dontrelle Inman, Antonio Gandy-Golden, Steven Sims Jr., Isaiah Wright
Tight ends (3): Logan Thomas, Marcus Baugh, Jeremy Sprinkle
Defensive linemen (9): Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Ryan Kerrigan, Matt Ioannidis, Ryan Anderson, Tim Settle, James Smith-Williams
Linebackers (6): Jon Bostic, Kevin Pierre-Louis, Thomas Davis Sr., Cole Holcomb, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Khaleke Hudson
Safeties (4): Landon Collins, Troy Apke, Deshazor Everett, Kamren Curl
Cornerbacks (6): Kendall Fuller, Ronald Darby, Fabian Moreau, Jimmy Moreland, Greg Stroman, Danny Johnson
Punter: Tress Way
Kicker: Dustin Hopkins
Long snapper: Nick Sundberg
Cuts
Released (4):
S Sean Davis
CB Aaron Colvin
DE Nate Orchard
TE Richard Rodgers
Waived (18):
WR Trey Quinn
WR Cam Sims
WR Tony Brown
WR Jester Weah
WR Johnathan Johnson
TE Hale Hentges
OL Timon Parris
OT David Steinmetz
OT Ross Pierschbacher
OL Paul Adams
G Joshua Garnett
QB Steven Montez
CB Ryan Lewis
S Jeremy Reaves
LB Donald Payne
LB Jared Norris
DE Jordan Brailford
DE David Bada
To be placed on injured reserve (5):
OL Mike Liedtke
WR Jordan Veasy
LB Reuben Foster
CB Simeon Thomas
DT Ryan Bee
This is a developing story and will be updated.
