NFL notes: Redskins sign Mark Sanchez to back up Colt McCoy

Coach Jay Gruden said Monday the Washington Redskins will sign quarterback Mark Sanchez to back up Colt McCoy after Alex Smith’s season-ending injury.

McCoy will start for the Redskins (6-4) on Thursday at the Dallas Cowboys (5-5) in a game that could go a long way to determining which team wins the NFC East. Sanchez knows offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh from their time together with the New York Jets, where now-quarterbacks coach Kevin O’Connell was his backup.

Gruden said Sanchez was the pick to sign over Kellen Clemens, Josh Johnson, T.J. Yates and EJ Manuel because of his experience and success in the NFL. All five worked out at the team’s facility Monday.

Smith underwent surgery Sunday night to repair a broken right tibia and fibula. Gruden says surgery went well, he didn’t believe there was any ligament damage and he hopes Smith can make a full recovery in six to eight months.

Mariota’s injury was a ‘stinger,’ Titans now say

Titans coach Mike Vrabel says Marcus Mariota suffered a “stinger” and that is what knocked the quarterback out of their loss against the Colts, not an injury to his elbow.

The Titans announced during the 38-10 loss that Mariota had hurt his elbow, the same injury that knocked him out of the opener. Mariota didn’t return after being sacked for the fourth time in the final seconds of the first half.

Vrabel said Monday that the injury was a stinger with Mariota evaluated by an independent neurologist. The coach says now they need to see how Mariota is with a second opinion possible but are hopeful Mariota feels good enough to play Nov. 26 in Houston.

Tennessee defensive coordinator Dean Pees also is returning to Nashville on Monday after spending a night in an Indianapolis hospital. Vrabel says all tests on Pees, 69, came back positively without saying what issue caused the coordinator to be taken to a hospital early in the game.

Vrabel said Pees will rejoin the team after taking Monday off and will work “bankers’ hours.”

Etc.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen will make his return to the starting lineup this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing four games because of an elbow injury.… Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jakeem Grant will be placed on injured reserve with a lower leg injury, ending his season.

UPDATES:

12:50 p.m.: This article was updated after the Redskins signed Mark Sanchez.

This article was originally published at 11:20 a.m.