

(By Patrick Semansky / AP)

A.J. Smith’s name has been mentioned frequently in recent days, from Redskins beat reporters to sports-radio callers to the Redskins Radio Network pregame show.

Two weeks ago, Sonny Jurgensen mentioned on the pregame show that Smith — whose title with the Redskins is “senior executive” — had wanted to go back the West coast, but that the Redskins requested he stick around Ashburn. Then before Saturday’s game against the Eagles, Jurgensen was asked if he thinks Smith could become the face and voice of the team’s player personnel department after this season.

“Well, just in talking with him, I kind of get that feeling that they’re feeling him out,” Jurgensen told Kevin Sheehan on the pre-game show, heard locally on ESPN 980. “You know, they would like for him to, but he doesn’t want to move off the West coast. But he’s gonna voice his opinion after the season when they have their meetings, and yeah, I’m sure that he would be considered to be the general manager.”

Sheehan then asked if Smith would have to live here to serve as the team’s general manager or VP of player personnel.

“Well, I’m not sure,” Jurgensen said. “I’m not sure of what it entails and whether or not he would want to be here. Would they make it worth his while that he’s going to be here? You know, they’re going to work that out.”

“Do you have any sense as to what his opinion is of the three quarterbacks?” Sheehan asked.

“Yes,” Jurgensen said, with a classic Sonny chuckle. “Yes I do.”

And?

“Well, I don’t think he thinks you have a quarterback,” Jurgensen said. “He doesn’t think that, from what he’s seen and what he’s observed. He doesn’t see that there are any franchise quarterbacks [here].”

Sheehan then asked if Smith would be in favor of selecting one of the top quarterbacks in next year’s draft.

“I’m not sure,” Jurgensen said, laughing again. “Why don’t you interview him?”

Smith, of course, has declined interview requests. Here’s Mike Jones, writing about the former Chargers GM in his weekly Q&A: