Ron Rivera: Dwayne Haskins will be ready if needed this week

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Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera didn’t have an update on quarterback Alex Smith‘s calf injury when he met with the media on Monday morning.

Rivera said on Sunday night that Smith has a calf strain and could have returned to action, but the team decided to hold him out due to an abundance of caution.

Dwayne Haskins replaced Smith and went 7-of-12 for 51 yards in his first game action since being benched after Week 4. Haskins called his return to the field an emotional one when he spoke to reporters after the 23-15 victory.

“Tears came to my eyes as I was leaving the field, just thankful to be out on the grass again because I didn’t know I was gonna be out on the grass again,” Haskins said, via 106.7 The Fan.

While Smith being cleared to return on Sunday would seem to bode well for Smith’s chances of playing this week, the coach said Monday that he thinks Haskins will be ready if the team needs to call his number this week. Rivera expects to know more about Smith’s status on Monday afternoon and Wednesday’s practice will provide further update about the Washington quarterback situation this week.