Alex Smith's calf strain has left the door ajar for Dwayne Haskins to potentially return to the starting lineup.
The Washington Football Team announced Wednesday that Haskins took first-team reps in practice while Smith stood with the other QBs on the sideline.
Following practice, Smith told reporters that the injury is "a freak thing" that was minor the week prior to facing the 49ers and became worse during the game. He also noted that the strain is not at all related to the broken leg he sustained in 2018.
"I feel alright. ... It's early in the week, and we'll see how it goes," Smith said, per Sam Fortier of The Washington Post.
Earlier in the day, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the team was not pressuring Smith to practice as his injury requires rest and rehab rather than reps.
Prior to sitting out the second half of Sunday's game, Smith completed eight of 19 pass attempts for 57 yards and threw an interception. Haskins did just enough to steady the offense in his absence, completing seven of 12 attempts for 51 yards.
Since being named the starter in Week 9, Smith, along with the emergence of the defensive line, has been a big part of the team's success.
With a pivotal clash against Seattle up next on the docket, a return to Haskins would not be ideal. As of now, Washington remains optimistic that Smith will start in Week 15.
