The Buffalo Bills finally made their first free agency acquisition, by signing wide receiver/ kick return specialist Brad Smith, formerly of the New York Jets. Smith has been productive on special teams and out of the wildcat formation since being selected in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
Last season, Smith returned 50 kickoffs for an average of 29.6 yards per return scoring twice, while rushing 38 times for 299 yards.
Smith will most likely land a roster spot as the main kick returner, and running back C.J. Spiller will likely handle the punt return duties. As a wideout, Smith hasn’t really put up any stats, catching just 11 passes for 107 yards in the past two seasons combined. However, in 2007 he made 32 receptions for 325 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Coach Chan Gailey will most likely be able to draw up a package of plays that will fit Smith’s game changing ability to operate out of the wildcat formation. In his collegiate career at Missouri, Smith rushed 799 times for 4,285 yards and 49 touchdowns as a quarterback.
While the Bills have a wide receiver similar to Smith in Roscoe Parrish, the two will create obvious mismatches inside against linebackers, while Steve Johnson and Lee Evans operate on the outside.
The Bills are loaded at the wide receiver position, with Johnson, Evans, David Nelson, Marcus Easley, Donald Jones, and Namaan Roosevelt all competing for reps. Coach Gailey will likely go into the preseason with six or seven receivers on the roster, considering he primarily uses a four-receiver set on passing downs.
Either way, Smith will bring some electricity to a stagnant Buffalo Bills offense that will really need some firepower to compete in the tough AFC East division.
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