A handful of teams contacted Alex Smith before the veteran quarterback announced his retirement this week, Sports Illustrated reported Thursday.
Smith, 36, heard from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, per the report.
The Jaguars offered Smith a contract but reportedly wanted him to sign a waiver related to the leg injury that caused him to miss the entire 2019 season. He required 17 surgeries to save his leg, repair the injury and fight a life-threatening infection.
Read More: Alex Smith announces retirement from NFL
Smith was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2020 after winning five of his six starts for Washington. He completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,582 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Washington released him last month in a move that saved the club nearly $15 million against the 2021 salary cap.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco, Smith was 99-67-1 as a starter and passed for 35,650 yards and 199 touchdowns in 174 games with the 49ers (2005-12), Kansas City Chiefs (2013-17) and Washington.
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–Field Level Media