Alex Smith was acquired by the Washington Redskins prior to the 2018 NFL season and he was expected to end up being the long-term starting quarterback for the franchise. Unfortunately, that plan hit a major snag when Smith went down with a gruesome leg injury a few weeks back.

According to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Smith is now suffering from an infection that has come on post-surgery. There is no word at this point in time whether this infection could impact his playing future in the NFL.

Smith put together a solid all-around season for the Redskins before going down with the injury. He has been playing some of the best football of his career over the past couple seasons.

In the 10 games with the Redskins this season, Smith has completed 62.5 percent of his pass attempts for 2,180 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also picked up 168 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

At 34 years old, Smith is already getting close to the end of his prime. This injury could have a major impact on his future in the NFL. Hopefully, the infection will be kept under control and his recovery process will not become more difficult.

More information will become available in the near future about Smith's infection. Washington is still hoping that he can come back strong and play another few seasons at a high level, but at this point in time that is not a guarantee.

Smith is a strong person and has vowed to come back from this injury. If he is unable to return, the Redskins are going to have a tough time trying to find their new franchise quarterback.