ALEX SMITH and moving forward.

Can someone explain the cap implications if a) He is unable to play and retires. b) We cut him.

I understand he has $71MM guaranteed for injury. Does this all go against our CAP?

Are we just in a hole if he has to sit out the better part of next year?

OK I think I have some answers. I'm halfway making this up so please correct me and fill in the gaps....

Looking at his contract:
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/washington-redskins/alex-smith-3337/

Alex Has 55MM totally guaranteed and $71MM guaranteed for injury.

The 55 comprises of his 5 years of signing bonus(5.4MMx5=27MM) and his 2018 and 2019 base salaries (13MM+15MM)


We owe him the 2019 Salary and the remaining signing bonus no matter what. However if he is injured and unable to play we will also owe him his 2020 base salary of $16MM.

So in the case:

He cannot play-- we will owe him 20.4MM next year 21.4MM in 2020 and 5.4 in 2021 and 2022.


He can play and we want to cut him-- We can save $16MM of the above in 2020.

All numbers above are cap implications, rather then when he actually receives the money. Thats all we should care about.

I hope he can recover. Good for him that he negotiated a good contract that will compensate him an additional $16MM for a horrible scenario. However, the unable to play bar is very high. If he gets cleared for 2020 (which I suspect he will)- he is not guaranteed that amount.

Can someone explain the cap implications if a) He is unable to play and retires. b) We cut him.

I understand he has $71MM guaranteed for injury. Does this all go against our CAP?

Are we just in a hole if he has to sit out the better part of next year?

He had an injury clause, so either way he's getting 44M over the next 3 years

If he can play after this, he deserves to be on the team at least. I agree tho, I would draft a QB round 1 now.

I am not going to jump on a draft a QB for the sake of drafting a QB right now. If we are talking about drafting one to be starter ready I am not on board.

From J I Halsell:
Alex Smith’s 15M ‘19 salary is guar’d for skill/inj/cap; his 16M ‘20 salary is currently only guar’d for inj. The ‘20 16M = truly guar’d if he’s on the roster the 5th day of ‘19 free agency. Meaning, if he can’t pass a physical in 4 months, his 2020 salary becomes truly guar’d.


No exception, his 15M salary in 2019 and 16M in 2020 will continue to count on the Redskins salary cap in those respective years.

Bottom line we're kind of stuck with him through 2020. Better hope he heals up well.

Good info here

New details on Alex Smith injury show severity, don't mean it's worse (http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/profootballdoc/sd-sp-pfd-alex-smith-leg-fracture-rehab-redskins-1120-story.html)

Good info here

New details on Alex Smith injury show severity, don't mean it's worse (http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/profootballdoc/sd-sp-pfd-alex-smith-leg-fracture-rehab-redskins-1120-story.html)

That's a relief.. Thanks for sharing

He’s human like you and me, 34 years old and was playing tentatively for us. How do you think he would be after a gruesome injury? I don’t know, he might be scared shitless, might not come back and retire. Will find out next year, all I know is we will be drafting a QB next year.

Dude, just because you don't want him to play, doesn't mean he won't. Alex is a competitive guy and I'm pretty sure he won't want to an injury dictate how he leaves the NFL. Just like when Steve Smith had a season-ending injury in his last season, and came back for one more season.

So just stop wishing him away.

I bet he will do all he can to play again. Some on here wish he would retire, I know but he doesn't seem like the kind to go out that easy. Also just because he's on the roster doesn't mean we cant draft a QB.

Dude, just because you don't want him to play, doesn't mean he won't. Alex is a competitive guy and I'm pretty sure he won't want to an injury dictate how he leaves the NFL. Just like when Steve Smith had a season-ending injury in his last season, and came back for one more season.

So just stop wishing him away.

I just hope we have a steady plan B.

I just don't want the excuse when setback happens, slow recovery, etc. Then for folks to be like "well what did you expect?" I just expect us to have a plan b.

I just wonder from a mental aspect...no saying AS is mentally weak...but I think that's apart a massive injury that's over looked. When CT cameback from injury this year, there was a little bit of that...learning to trust your body again.