Washington has released QB Dwayne Haskins.

Related players: Alex Smith, Taylor Heinicke

Washington had to start Haskins in Week 16 despite Haskins violating COVID rules by not wearing a mask at a nightclub. To top that off, Haskins was awful in a game that could have sealed the division for Washington. He was eventually replaced by Heinicke. Smith is expected to be back in Week 17 when the team faces the Eagles. The team just needs a win to win the division.

Ron Rivera said Alex Smith was "very close" to playing Sunday after having an "exceptional day" of practice Friday.

Related players: Taylor Heinicke, Dwayne Haskins

The tweet added when they checked in on him Saturday, he just wasn't quite there. Haskins started instead, was terrible and eventually got pulled for Heinicke. Expect Smith to be ready to go for a prime time game vs. the Eagles in Week 17. A Washington win means they make the playoffs as the NFC East Champion.

Washington QB Dwayne Haskins has been benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke

Haskins had a miserable first half with a pair of interceptions and his second half didn’t go much better. He finished 14/28 for 154 yards, two interceptions and was sacked twice and lost a fumble. Washington is limping to the finish line and are now looking at a must-win game against Philadelphia in Week 17. Such a perfect way to end the NFC East season.

Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins is getting first-team reps at practice Wednesday.

The report notes Alex Smith is present at practice, but is only watching Haskins. Haskins did nothing in the first half against Seattle last week before having some positive moments later in the game. He also violated COVID-19 protocols by going to a strip club after the loss, a mistake he could still face discipline for. Haskins will not be a fantasy option even if he starts against Carolina in Week 16.

The Washington Football Team is aware of social media posts showing QB Dwayne Haskins partying maskless in a strip club, was in contact with the NFL yesterday about the matter and is handling the matter internally, I’m told.

Related players: Alex Smith, Steven Montez, Taylor Heinicke

Pelissero went on to say in another tweet Washington has no plans to release Haskins, who was fined for a previous COVID-19 protocol violation. Going to a nightclub without PPE is considered “High Risk COVID-19 Conduct,” punishable by a maximum fine of one week’s salary or up to four-game suspension, Pelissero went on to say. Washington plays a key game against Carolina this week, but it's possible Haskins is punished by the team or even placed on the COVID list if they think he is at risk. Smith is recovering from a calf injury, but given the importance of the game, may be forced back into action as Washington has a chance to win the NFC East.

Washington Football Team QB Alex Smith will not play Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Dwayne Haskins will start in his place.

While Smith has been a better QB in limited comparisons to Haskins this season, WR Terry McLaurin has played well with the second-year signal caller. There is also a chance that RB Antonio Gibson plays this week as well.

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera didn’t have an update on quarterback Alex Smith‘s calf injury when he met with the media on Monday morning.

Rivera said on Sunday night that Smith has a calf strain and could have returned to action, but the team decided to hold him out due to an abundance of caution.

Related players: Dwayne Haskins

Haskins replaced Smith and went 7-of-12 for 51 yards in his first game action since being benched after Week 4. The story said Haskins would play if Smith isn't cleared, but it seems like Smith has a decent chance to play in Week 15 for the first place Washington Football Team.

Ron Rivera admitted the obvious on Monday: Washington doesn’t know its quarterback of the future. So what are the team’s options? The pressure on the team to identify one is immense because, by year two of a rebuild, there should be a plan in place at the sport’s most important position.

Option one is Dwayne Haskins. Rivera said he still believes Haskins has the talent to be the long-term solution, but he challenged the 23-year-old to prove, as the new backup, that he learned from being benched and will work harder to prepare every week.

Related players: Alex Smith

According to the story, the free agent class is thin, and the only starter-quality options under 30 are Dak Prescott and Jameis Winston. Cam Newton, Rivera’s former starter with Carolina, is 31 years old and struggled since a hot start with the Patriots. Washington could look to the draft. But if the team continues to prioritize winning now — the “short-term glory,” as Rivera once said — it would potentially pick out of range for the consensus top two quarterbacks, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields. This would leave them to choose between second-tier options, such as North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, Brigham Young’s Zach Wilson or Florida’s Kyle Trask, the story went on to say.