ASHBURN – The Washington Redskins have signed Mark Sanchez to back up Colt McCoy at quarterback after Alex Smith’s season-ending leg injury.
Sanchez was one of five quarterbacks the Redskins worked out Monday and was seen at the team’s facility. EJ Manuel, TJ Yates, Kellen Clemens and Josh Johnson.
Source: The #Redskins are signing free agent QB Mark Sanchez after todays large workout. He has several points of familiarity on the staff and will backup Colt McCoy. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 19, 2018
Sanchez has not played in a game since 2016 with the Dallas Cowboys, coincidentally the same team the Redskins play Thursday.
The fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, Sanchez made it as far as the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons in the league but saw his performance drop off after that.
Sanchez saw the field for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014 and 2015, had a cup of coffee with the Denver Broncos as a back-up and landed in Dallas after that.
Sanchez is familiar with some Redskins coaches, including offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive line coach Bill Callahan. O’Connell and Sanchez both played for New York in 2011 and Callahan and Cavanaugh were coaches there in his first few years.
The Redskins will start McCoy this Thursday, but they had no other quarterback on the roster or the practice squad and needed to sign someone fast on the short week.
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