BALTIMORE, MD - OCTOBER 26: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by middle linebacker Kiko Alonso #47 of the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on October 26, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. Flacco left the game after the hit. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
When three-time Super Bowl champ John Elway traded for former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco last week, everyone thought he was crazy.
Elway is noted for his love of tall, strong-armed quarterbacks and this seemed very in character. Most of those players haven’t panned out during his time as the general manager of the Denver Broncos. Why would trading for a subpar 34-year-old quarterback finishing up a 6 year, $120.6 million contract help a team that already sunk $36 million into a veteran during the last offseason? That’s not to mention Elway’s gambles on Brock Osweiler, Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian, all of whom failed throughout their NFL careers.
But it appears that there’s a reason why the February 13 trade for Flacco came to be as quick as it did. They had competition for him. According to Sports Illustrated, the Washington Redskins were hoping to plug in Flacco until Alex Smith returned from the gruesome leg injury he suffered this November — if he ever does return.
Smith has undergone multiple surgeries since suffering the season-ending compound leg fracture in Week 11. Although there’s been a lack of update on his health status, he’s been seen with a huge leg brace on and is reportedly battling infections in the leg.
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Most of Smith’s teammates don’t expect him to be back for the 2019 season. “You know, we’ve still got time; we haven’t really gotten into free agency yet,” Redskins senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams said.
After striking out on Flacco, the Redskins could potentially sign Nick Foles or Teddy Bridgewater and hope that they could hold down the fort. There’s even the possibility that they could contact Elway regarding Case Keenum‘s availability. After Smith’s injury, the Reskins went 1-5.
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