MMA
John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Redskins deliver flash for Alex Smith, now need him to provide substance

ASHBURN, Va. -- The scene reflected the desire by the Washington Redskins for something new. It was unnecessary for the latest guy they hope provides the answer at quarterback. They’ve run through a lot here over the years and have invested plenty at the position. They need it to work.

Quarterbacks represent hope, and that’s what Alex Smith does for the Redskins. The hope isn’t that he’s a blossoming young talent about to emerge. Rather, the hope is that he simply settles the position and provides what they need most: stability without drama and the ability to win games.

The funny thing is, the scene didn’t seem to match the person. The Redskins had a packed auditorium, with staffers and businessmen there to meet the new quarterback. (New receiver Paul Richardson was there, too.) There was a reception in the lobby afterward to celebrate. It turned into a better day for the Redskins as, right before the news conference began, word spread about re-signing linebacker Zach Brown. But the Redskins clearly wanted to sell Smith’s arrival. There was even a receiving line after the initial news conference and before Smith did a round of one-on-one TV interviews. It’s been a while since the Redskins had such a splashy event for a newcomer.

Perhaps it shows just how much everyone was drained by the constant contract talk with Kirk Cousins -- and perhaps they knew how much the fan base was drained as well. There certainly hasn’t been any love lost toward Cousins in the building. That’s no secret -- here or around the league. The Redskins say they want to move on and they certainly did Thursday.

But Smith isn’t about the flash. He’s a former No. 1 overall draft pick who is now with his third team. He’s been through enough courtships -- and breakups -- to where all he really wants is to play ball.

Perhaps that’s why Smith had such a good reputation in Kansas City’s locker room, where he was considered a leader. Perhaps that’s why a lot of his former teammates posted such positive wishes toward him after the trade. My guess is he'll be popular in this locker room as well.

His answer about working with receivers in the offseason provides a snapshot of his thought process.

“A lot of that stuff looks great on TV,” Smith said. “It’s great for Instagram followers, but to be honest at this point we’re limited on what I can get my hands on, scheme-wise, and there’s all these rules and stuff. It would be great to come together and us go out on the field and throw it around, but we’d all like to have coaches there. We’d be better off with that.”

In other words, there has to be a purpose and until he has a playbook, it wouldn't help. Maybe in the summer, he said. That wasn’t a jab at anyone else; Cousins worked with his wideouts before spring workouts began but they already knew the playbook. Robert Griffin III used to post pictures of himself working out. They’re not alone in doing all of this; might just be the new way while Smith, even though he’s only four years older than Cousins, might just be more old school. Or he’s just been through so much that it doesn’t matter to him. Smith knows what he must do.

It helps that Smith arrives to Washington as a mature quarterback. He said he keeps trying to improve and last year he threw downfield more than ever. But he’s mature in the sense of where he’s at in his career. He’s not a young kid trying to establish his name. He’s not peddling goods or having logos designed or coming up with catchy slogans, such as “no pressure, no diamonds” or “you like that!” Let’s not pretend, though, that the organization didn’t want a marketable quarterback. Of course they did. Still, Smith is who he is, a veteran quarterback who wants to keep playing ball.

“As you can see, he’s probably smarter than me and I’m not a big fan of that,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said, laughing.

That sort of presence can provide calm and stability. Since 2010, when they traded for Donovan McNabb, the Redskins have used nine draft picks and a player (Kendall Fuller) to acquire various quarterbacks (not to mention signing guys like Rex Grossman, John Beck and Colt McCoy). They also used the franchise tag twice on a guy they never truly loved. They have started six different quarterbacks in this time. The investments sometimes show promise -- and then some. But here we are again.

Smith, who required a third-round pick plus Fuller, will receive a honeymoon period from the organization; Cousins, coming after Griffin, never really did. It's not a criticism, just the way it is, and it speaks to the desire for what they now have: a unified front on the most important position. Smith represents hope and, yes, change. The question then becomes: What will he represent when it’s time to leave?

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