The Commanders’ quarterback situation has been unsettled for years, a trend that continued in 2021. After an injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick, the team’s Week 1 starter, Taylor Heinicke and Garrett Gilbert both started games, while Kyle Allen made a couple of appearances.
Since Kirk Cousins’s departure in 2017, the team has struggled to find a solution at the position. Washington acquired Alex Smith, whose career was derailed by his significant 2018 injury. Dwayne Haskins, a former first-round pick, flamed out and spent this season as a backup with the Steelers.
Coach Ron Rivera sees how the Matthew Stafford trade between the Lions and Rams helped reshape the league this year. A couple weeks after sources told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that Washington was ready to take a swing at a veteran passer, Rivera told ProFootballTalk that he’s certainly open to make that sort of big move for a veteran quarterback.
