The Washington Redskins will be without quarterback Alex Smith for the foreseeable future after Smith's gruesome leg injury in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans -- but don't expect Colin Kaepernick to come running through the tunnel to replace him.
Washington, which leads the NFC East with a 6-4 record, will have a few options to turn to in trying to replace Smith, who had accumulated 2,180 passing yards and 10 touchdowns for the Redskins this year, but the pool of replacements seems to be a band of ABK -- Anybody But Kaepernick.
Former San Francisco 49ers star Colin Kaepernick, who hasn’t played a down of football since 2016, continues to go unemployed in free agency -- though he's reeled in plenty of cash as the poster child of a Nike campaign.
According to Pro Football Talk, Kaepernick does want to play again, but Washington is one of the spots he's least likely to land. Though Chad Ryan, who hosts and produces a Redskins-centric podcast, noted Kaepernick and current Washington quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell had worked together in the past, and Kaepernick and current Redskins backup Colt McCoy have also worked together, team president Bruce Allen reportedly made clear Kaepernick will never be signed by Washington as long as he's with the team.
The organization, meanwhile, could turn to McCoy as its starter or reach out to a number of free agents who are looking for another shot. ESPN reported Washington was going to work out ex-pros EJ Manuel, T.J. Yates and Mark Sanchez. Manuel and Yates haven’t played a down since the 2017 season, while Sanchez didn’t play any football in 2017 and last played with the Dallas Cowboys in 2016.
Kaepernick started a controversy during the 2016 season when he began to kneel during the national anthem over perceived racial injustice across the U.S. He opted out of his deal with the 49ers after the season and failed to latch on with any other team. He has filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging owners were blackballing him over his decision to protest before NFL games.