Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture – meaning the bone broke through his skin, per source. Trauma surgeons discovered Smith suffered a spiral fracture in his leg – defined as a long bone broken by a rotational force. Smith, 34, faces a lengthy rehab process to try to return.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2018
Alex Smith is 34-years-old, so the chances of a comeback with that serious of an injury are iffy at best.
The way his contract extension was structured he was never going to get the full $94 million, but they did it in such a way it almost guarantees him $71 million regardless if he comes back or not.
While $55 million of his deal was guaranteed at signing, the remaining guarantees were for injury, so if he never plays again he gets the $71 million.
The slick part of the contract is Smith’s 2019 salary was guaranteed when he signed his extension, but his 2020 contract becomes guaranteed on the 5th day of the 2019 league year. If the Redskins cut him before then while he’s injured he gets his whole $71 million guarantees. If they keep him on the roster to see if he can make a comeback his salary is guaranteed for 2020 regardless if he is any good after the comeback or not.
NFL contracts are normally bad for the players and this one was never the $94 million one as reported, but it is a very good NFL contract in the sense that it locked in $71 million for a 34-year-old QB. That is a good agent right there.
Flip the page for the gruesome injury.