Taylor Heinicke takes first-team reps at quarterback during Washington’s practice

Smith is questionable to play Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs, as he continues to deal with a calf strain that kept him out of two games and affected him during Sunday’s win over Philadelphia. Smith threw at practice Wednesday, Rivera said, but the quarterback also admitted the short week makes his rehab timeline tougher.

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“[Thursday] is going to be a telling day,” Smith said. “I felt I got done what I needed to [Wednesday]. Again, just trying to stay shortsighted and not get ahead of myself and doing what I need to get done every single day from a mental side and preparing. Then, obviously, ramping up physically.”

The rotation of Smith and Heinicke remains possible. It would happen if Smith started, exited because of his injury and felt good enough later to return. Smith said he had never been part of a rotation, but he brushed aside the idea it would limit him.

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“I’m focused on what I need to do to get ready to roll,” he said. “Again, all that other stuff, I play quarterback. I’m getting ready to go in and get done what I need to get done this week, preparing obviously for a huge challenge.”

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If the quarterback rotation happens, offensive coordinator Scott Turner said it would not affect how he called plays. He said he trusts Heinicke because he’s tough, smart and “all these cliches.”

“If Taylor is going to play, he’s got to play,” Turner added. “We’re not going to baby him. We’re not going to play scared. We’re going to play to win. Everybody on this team deserves that. He’s capable of it.”

Rivera echoed Turner’s thoughts. He thought Heinicke was impressive at the end of the Carolina game in Week 16, when he replaced Dwayne Haskins and finished 12 for 19 for 137 yards and a touchdown, plus three rushes for 22 yards. Rivera thought Heinicke’s performance helped him as much as it did the quarterback.

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“When he was with us in Carolina, we didn’t get to see a lot,” Rivera said. “So I always wondered if there were certain things that he could do. When he had his opportunity to start [in 2018], he started and did some things early and then he got hurt. We really didn’t get to see the rest of it. But then being able to see what he did in the Panthers game, I think really helped me. I will say this, it definitely helped [give confidence to] his teammates.”

There is still concern that, even if Smith starts, he might not be able to move as well as he would need to. He looked immobile Sunday, and the Eagles countered by blitzing more. Smith said he didn’t feel limited, but he acknowledged that, in the second half, “you could probably see the difference” in his movement.

“But who is 100 percent right now?” he said. “I’m doing everything I need to do to try to work through that. That’s a part of it obviously as an aging quarterback as well. … It’s not something I’m concerned about.”

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Players react to rioters storming the Capitol

The team did not address the situation at the Capitol, which was stormed by a mob of supporters of President Trump on Wednesday afternoon, with its players after practice, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. It’s possible the team will Thursday. Some Washington players later weighed in on Twitter.

“This is happening in the capital but we [Black people] get met with deadly force in our homes. Sad day in America!!!” linebacker Thomas Davis Sr. wrote.

“So much I wanna say, but not in the mind frame to say it … frustrated and pissed off aren’t the proper words,” free safety Jeremy Reaves wrote.

“They need to get those thugs out of the streets. I wouldn’t feel safe driving through DC [right now],” wrote Kelvin Harmon, a wide receiver on injured reserve who posted on Instagram that Wednesday was his first day back in cleats.

“2020 had to hand the baton to 2021 and said don’t let me down,” Harmon added.