Veteran quarterback Alex Smith and the Washington Football Team are expected to part ways this week, according to Ian Rapoport and Kim Jones of NFL Network.

The 36-year-old Smith wants to continue playing after winning AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2020. He returned to the field for Washington after suffering what initially looked like a career-ending injury back in 2018.

Washington has reportedly been looking to upgrade at quarterback via the trade market, and these efforts will continue into free agency. Taylor Heinicke got a contract extension after impressing in a playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the franchise could still use a better option at the position after the failed Dwayne Haskins experiment.

As for Alex Smith, this will be his first foray into free agency. It's a miracle he got to this point after that 2018 injury, but he fought hard to get back on the field and finally made his return in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.

While he initially struggled, Smith started to find a bit of a groove as he shook the rust off. He helped Washington end the Pittsburgh Steelers' perfect season in Week 13 with arguably his best performance of the season.

Unfortunately, the veteran was stymied by injuries again. Smith missed two games with a calf injury late in the season before coming back in Week 17, only to miss the playoff game against Tampa Bay.

Alex Smith finished the 2020 season with 1,582 passing yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games. He completed 66.7% of his passes and had a quarterback rating of 78.5.