The Washington football team believes it looks “very promising” for defender Alex Smith to start Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the team wants to see how his calf feels during pre-game warm-ups before making a final decision, he said. a source for Adam ESPN Schefter.
Smith, who trained for the second day in a row on Friday, is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but a source said Washington intends to start it, as it has done all week.
Washington (6-9) will win the NFC East if it defeats the Eagles (4-10-1). The team lost two consecutive games, with Smith unable to play.
Smith trained for the first time in the back-to-back days since suffering a tense calf during a Dec. 13 game against San Francisco. Last week, Smith did not train until Friday before the game; his calf did not respond well the next day and missed the second game in a row.
If Smith can’t play, the start would be for Taylor Heinicke, who relieved Dwayne Haskins Jr. in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 20-13 loss to Carolina. In two actions, Heinicke completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 meters and a touchdown.
Haskins was released Monday after fighting on the ground and fleeing the COVID-19 protocols.
Washington signed Heinicke on December 8 to his training team; has been on the active list in the last two games.