The Washington Football Team signed quarterback Taylor Heinicke from the practice squad on Saturday to back up Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins will start in place of veteran Alex Smith when Washington (6-7) hosts the Seattle Seahawks (9-4) on Sunday.
Smith sustained a calf injury last week in a victory over the San Francisco 49ers and was ruled out. The team’s third quarterback, Kyle Allen, started four games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
Heinicke, 27, has appeared in seven games (one start) in the NFL. He spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers, as well as the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL last year. In the NFL, he has completed 36 of 58 pass attempts for 330 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Washington also announced the release of wide receiver Jeff Badet from the practice squad. The team signed the former XFL receiver in September.