TE Alex Smith to Redskins: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Veteran tight end Alex Smith agreed to terms with the Washington Redskins on Tuesday, as the current NFC East front-runners seek to bolster depth at the position behind star pass-catcher Jordan Reed.  

ESPN.com's Adam Schefter initially reported the news of Smith's arrival in Washington, and the team would later announce the news. 

Unfortunately, Washington's typical second-string tight end, Derek Carrier, suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Chicago Bears, per Redskins.com's Stephen Czarda.

Most late-season signings wouldn't have much impact, but Smith may be an exception to that generalization. The 33-year-old played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013 when Washington head coach Jay Gruden served as the offensive coordinator.

After remaining in Cincinnati through last season, Smith signed with the New Orleans Saints during training camp but was subsequently released and hadn't found a team until now.

A familiarity with Gruden's West Coast offense bodes well for Smith. Although he isn't a great weapon as a receiver, he should contribute in the blocking department. Smith doesn't mind getting after it in the trenches as a blocker, which should help the Redskins' rushing attack and also allow Washington to dial up a greater amount of max-protection plays.

Reed takes care of pass-catching duties on his own and often displays blocking that leaves much to be desired.

The presence of someone like Smith up front could be useful for quarterback Kirk Cousins to take shots down the field more often with Reed, supreme deep threat DeSean Jackson and speedy wideout Pierre Garcon.