Steve Smith - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: S. Smith, McClain, Revis, Manziel

October 21st, 2015 at 10:26pm CST by Zachary Links

There has been speculation the Ravens might try to talk wide receiver Steve Smith out of his plan to retire after the season or that Smith will change his mind. However, the veteran says that nothing has changed. “I’m on schedule for what I discussed earlier in the year,” the wide receiver said, according to Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com.

Here’s more from the AFC..

If Smith is still retiring, the Ravens should trade him to a contender, Mike Florio of PFT opines. The Ravens are at 1-5 and, for all intents and purposes, they’re probably done in 2015. Florio suggests that the Packers would be a great fit for a savvy veteran like Smith.
Free agent cornerback Robert McClain has worked out or visited eight teams since being cut on September 5th, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The veteran’s latest visit was to the Steelers on Wednesday, per Yates. McClain’s recent visits have also included the Bears and Saints.
Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis told reporters, including Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), that he never expected to return to the Patriots this past offseason. “No, the number was too high,” the corner said.
Johnny Manziel should be on paid leave from the Browns for his recent altercation with his girlfriend, Christine Brennan of USA Today Sports writes. Manziel’s girlfriend declined to press charges over the matter and the all of the facts are still unknown, but Brennan feels that the former Texas A&M star should be sidelined until everything comes to light.
On the Quick Slants podcast, CSNNE’s Tom E. Curran, Phil Perry, and Adam Hart discussed the Patriots secondary and the possibility of making an addition via trade.

AFC Notes: Chiefs, Ridley, Ravens, Yanda

October 20th, 2015 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

In spite of the Chiefs‘ slow start to the 2015 season, which has included some offensive struggles, head coach Andy Reid isn’t considering giving up play-calling duties on offense, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. As Paylor observes, there would be precedent for such a decision, since Reid ceded the Eagles’ offensive play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg in 2006, and the move led to a five-game winning streak.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Jets running back Stevan Ridley, who is eligible to begin practicing this week, is nearing a return, writes Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. Coming off a major knee injury, Ridley started the year on the PUP list, which means he can play as early as Week 7, though he’ll have to be moved to the 53-man roster before he can be active.
Back in August, Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith announced that he’ll retire at the end of the 2015 season. However, given how poorly the year is playing out for Smith and his team, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com wonders if the veteran wideout will reconsider that stance, adding that Baltimore would “certainly welcome him back.”
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has the breakdown on Marshal Yanda‘s new contract with the Ravens, which features a $9MM signing bonus and about $15.8MM in fully guaranteed money (plus another $2MM guaranteed for injury only).
The fact that the Colts‘ botched fake punt on Sunday night made Indianapolis a national punchline likely won’t help Chuck Pagano‘s job security going forward, says Mike Wells of ESPN.com.

Steve Smith Suffers Four Broken Bones In Back

October 3rd, 2015 at 6:28pm CST by Ben Levine

6:28pm: Smith will miss next week’s game against the Browns, John Harbaugh confirmed while attending Saturday’s Maryland-Michigan game (via CSNMidAtlantic.com). The eighth-year Ravens coach characterized Smith’s ailment as multiple microfractures but expressed confidence he could return in time for Week 6.

10:31am: Ravens Senior Vice President of Public and Community Relations Kevin Byrne released a statement (via Twitter) regarding the injury:

“While the Ravens do not give specifics about injuries out of respect to the men on our team and HIPPA laws, we want to dispel rumors and stories currently being reported about Steve Smith Sr.’s injury. He does have a back injury. It is not a surgical issue. His status is currently week-to-week.”

10:07am: Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr. has been diagnosed with four broken bones in his back, reports Chick Hernandez of CSNMidAtlantic.com (via Twitter). The injury was sustained during Thursday night’s victory over the Steelers. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the veteran may be able to play through the injury due to his high pain tolerance, although his status going forward is uncertain.

Smith wasn’t particularly happy about the hit from Lawrence Timmons during the third quarter of Thursday’s contest, although he wrongly attributed the dirty play to former teammate Mike Mitchell.

“The best thing I could do without threatening him and saying, ‘I will assault him when I see him’ is I will say, ‘I look forward to playing him again, and he’s on my lifetime hit list,'” the receiver said (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com).

The 36-year-old’s second season with the Ravens has been outstanding through the first quarter of the season, as he’s caught 29 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns. ProFootballFocus.com (subscription required) has been particularly fond of his performance, as Smith has earned the third-highest rating among wideouts in 2015. The 15-year veteran is planning on retiring following the season.

The Ravens depth at receiver took another hit today, as Michael Campanaro was placed on the injured reserve. This followed news that rookie wideout Breshad Perriman is out indefinitely following surgery on an injured PCL. The team has already added one replacement, acquiring Chris Givens from the Rams earlier today.

Community Tailgate: 8/10/15

August 10th, 2015 at 8:01pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few weeks away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll be discussing wide receiver Steve Smith and his candidacy for the Hall of Fame. As you surely know by now, Smith announced on Monday morning that the 2015 season will be his last. Smith, now with the Ravens, stands as the Panthers’ all-time leading receiver with 836 receptions for 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns receiving. For his career, spanning 15 years to date, Smith has caught 915 passes for a total of 13,262 yards and 73 touchdowns. It seems quite possible that Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, could be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he’s eligible. But it’s not a slam dunk.

Due largely to the evolution of the game and voters’ difficulty in comparing wide receivers from different eras, receivers have had some difficulty finding their way into Canton. Since 2000, there have been only ten WRs inducted into the Hall of Fame, and that number includes the controversial selection of Steelers notable Lynn Swann. Smith’s numbers are better than many of the receivers already in the Hall, but voters might chalk that up to the passing-friendly rules that have been brought into the NFL in the modern era.

When Smith is eligible, do you think he’ll enter the Hall of Fame? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!

Steve Smith To Retire After Season

August 10th, 2015 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith announced on Monday afternoon that he’ll be retiring after the 2015 season (via the Ravens’ official Twitter account). Smith said that he knew back in April that this would be his final season, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets.

Smith, 36, spent 14 years with the Panthers up until his surprising release following the 2013 season. The veteran later told reporters that he was planning on retiring after the 2014 campaign as a Panther. In March, Smith would go on to sign with the Ravens and last season he proved that he still has plenty left in the tank. In 16 regular season games, Smith, hauled in 79 catches for 1,065 yards and 6 touchdowns, easily topping his performance in the year prior for Carolina. Signed through the 2016 season, Smith will be walking away from a $3MM base salary in the final season of his contract.

Smith stands as Carolina’s all-time leading receiver with 836 receptions for 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns receiving. For his career, Smith has caught 915 passes for a total of 13,262 yards and 73 touchdowns. It seems possible that Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, could be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he’s eligible.

AFC Notes: S. Smith, Weddle, Bengals, Pats

July 29th, 2015 at 7:59pm CST by Zachary Links

While some players like the idea of going out on top, veteran receiver Steve Smith thinks he might continue playing even if the Ravens win the Super Bowl this season, per Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com.

“You still have the same bills, the same issues, you’re the same person,” Smith said, joking, “You don’t all of a sudden get free cable for life because you’ve won a Super Bowl.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

As expected, Chargers safety Eric Weddle doesn’t have a new contract in place as San Diego’s training camp gets underway, so expect him to play out the 2015 season with an eye toward free agency in the winter, says Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
With James Wright done for the year, Coley Harvey of ESPN.com expects the Bengals to add one more receiver via free agency. Harvey ran down some notable names that are still available, including Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker, James Jones, and Dane Sanzenbacher. Greg Little, who will audition with the team this week, earned an honorable mention on his list.
Cornerback Tarell Brown got a one-year, $1.5MM deal from the Patriots, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. Brown will receive a $100K bonus if he makes the team in Week 1, to go along with a $400K signing bonus and a $1MM base salary.
There was some confusion this week when the Dolphins re-signed quarterback Josh Freeman just four days after cutting him. However, as Field Yates of ESPN.com explains (via Twitter), Freeman’s new contract includes a split salary, which would allow the team to save money if the signal-caller gets hurt and lands on injured reserve.
After meeting with San Diego officials earlier this week to discuss the stadium situation there, NFL executive Eric Grubman was in East Bay today to talk about the Raiders‘ stadium progress, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Idzik, Jags, S. Smith

May 28th, 2015 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

In a Wednesday mailbag, a reader asked Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post why the Broncos didn’t make more of a push to sign La’el Collins. According to Renck, the lack of a resolution for Collins’ potential criminal case gave Denver pause during the draft — the team shied away from him in the seventh round more because of that uncertainty, not because of the lineman’s vow that he wouldn’t report if he was drafted on Day 3.

Once Collins became a free agent, he narrowed his choices rather quickly to teams with proven quarterbacks, coaches and line coaches. Denver offered all of those things, but Collins didn’t want to play in cold weather and wanted a team close to home, leading him to the Cowboys.

Of course, given today’s news on Ryan Clady‘s torn ACL, the Broncos may be regretting not rolling the dice on Collins with one of their seventh-round picks.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Former Jets general manager John Idzik, hired back in February as a consultant by the Jaguars, has been named to a full-time position of special assistant to the general manager, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “He’ll do a little bit of everything,” GM Dave Caldwell said of Idzik. “He’s a great cultural fit for us. He has a great understanding of the salary cap and the different ways to do a contract.” As O’Halloran writes, the Jags also promoted Chris Polian to director of player personnel and Chris Driggers to director of pro personnel.
Ravens wideout Steve Smith said he didn’t really contemplate retiring after last season, but he knows he won’t play forever, or even until he’s 40, like Jerry Rice (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun). Smith turned 36 earlier this month.
Browns third-round running back Duke Johnson wasn’t in attendance when the team’s OTAs got underway this week. However, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, it’s because of a personal matter rather than anything contract-related. Johnson is the only one of Cleveland’s 12 draftees who remains unsigned.
Titans running back Bishop Sankey was a bit of a disappointment in his rookie season, but the Titans are betting he’ll be better following some offseason strength training, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean writes.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Combine Pressers: Washington, Lions, Chargers, Ravens

February 18th, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Head coaches and general managers continue to speak to the media at press conferences in Indianapolis, and we’ve already rounded up the highlights from several of them so far today. Here are a few more noteworthy comments from some NFL decision-makers, with all links go to the Twitter accounts of various reporters in attendance:

Washington head coach Jay Gruden:

In perhaps the most newsworthy moment of any of today’s pressers so far, Gruden said that Robert Griffin III will open the 2015 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback. There’s still plenty of time for things to change between today and September, but on a day when Jay Cutler couldn’t get a vote of confidence from the Bears, it’s notable that Washington seems committed to RGIII.
According to Gruden, the Washington front office is in contact with the reps for high-priced players like Pierre Garcon, Barry Cofield, and Stephen Bowen about possible contract restructures. Discussing Garcon specifically, the head coach stressed that the veteran wideout is still very much in the club’s plans.
Echoing the mantra of new GM Scot McCloughan, Gruden said Washington’s philosophy will be to target the best available players in the draft.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew:

While he admitted that a new deal with Ndamukong Suh isn’t done, Mayhew remains confident that the two sides will work something out. According to the GM, the defensive scheme, coaches, and players are all a good match for Suh, and the club will definitely “keep working on it.”
The Lions still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll resort to the franchise tag if the team and Suh don’t reach an agreement by March 2. Detroit also remains undecided about the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Riley Reiff, and hasn’t yet made any final determinations on any free agents except center Dominic Raiola, who won’t be re-signed.
Mayhew can envision a situation where both Suh and Nick Fairley return to Detroit, but he can also imagine a scenario in which neither player is back. The Lions aren’t sure yet how seriously they’ll pursue Fairley, but will meet with his agent, Brian Overstreet, this week.
The general manager also has a combine meeting lined up with the agent for free-agent-to-be Matt Prater.
According to Mayhew, the team is engaged in dialogue with some players about contract restructures to clear some cap room. Although the GM didn’t identify anyone specifically, one of those players could be Reggie Bush — Mayhew said the team hasn’t determined yet what the running back’s future with the team is.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco:

The Chargers plan to meet with the agent for free agent running back Ryan Mathews at the combine this week, according to Telesco. The GM added that the Chargers are “a different team” when Mathews is healthy and on the field.
The team is currently planning for D.J. Fluker to play right tackle in 2015, rather than continuing to try him at guard. San Diego figures to have some holes to fill on its offensive line this offseason, so having a set plan for Fluker should help identify the spots that need to be addressed.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh:

According to Harbaugh, the team’s free agents want to return to Baltimore, and the team wants them back. “That bodes well for us,” Harbaugh said.
It’s not clear if the head coach’s comment applies to every Ravens free-agent-to-be, but when he was asked specifically about Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, and Lardarius Webb, Harbaugh said, “They want to be back [and] we want them back, so we should have a good chance.” Smith is eligible for free agency, while Ngata and Webb are candidates for contract restructures or pay cuts.
Harbaugh also expects wide receiver Steve Smith to be back with the Ravens in 2015. The former Panther has two years left on his contract, but will turn 36 in May, so retirement may be a viable option soon.

Cap Notes: Steve Smith, Ravens, Barwin, ‘Boys

January 16th, 2015 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite being eliminated during the Divisional Round of the playoffs, several Ravens players can rest easy knowing they’ve earned more money based on their 2014 performance. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, receiver Steve Smith will earn an extra $1MM in incentives, which were based on playing time, individual, and team performance. Linebacker Daryl Smith will also have another $1MM tacked onto his 2014 earnings, and he also hit an escalator that will increase his 2015 salary by $500K. Tight end Owen Daniels earned $755K through incentives, and center Gino Gradkowski will see a pay raise thanks to the proven performance escalator (explained here). Here are more cap-related notes from around the NFL…

After an outstanding 2014 season that saw him record 14.5 sacks, Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin will earn a higher base salary in 2015 thanks to escalators in his contract. Per Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link), Barwin hit all of his escalators, meaning he’ll make $5.5MM next year, a bump of $900K.
Cowboys safety Barry Church will earn a $1MM raise on top of his scheduled 2015 salary, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who writes that Church met a playing time threshold by seeing action on 85% of defensive snaps last season.
Veteran Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton earned a $200K salary increase in each of the next two seasons thanks to an unknown escalator, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
As we head to the offseason, several teams are willing to offer high guarantees in order to sign highly-coveted players to reserve/futures deals. According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), the largest guarantees on reserve deals thus far belong to running back Ryan Williams (who signed a two-year contract with the Cowboys) and defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye, who inked a pact with the 49ers.
The Cowboys will carry over $3.26MM in cap space into 2015, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

AFC Links: Gase, Broncos, Jags, Browns, Jets

January 14th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

With one team (the Bills) having introduced their new head coach today, and two more clubs (Jets, Raiders) closing in on their targets, there are four head coaching jobs still available, and it appeared coming into today that the 49ers were moving toward locking up Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase. However, nothing’s done between Gase and the Niners yet, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who tweets that the Broncos OC met with John Elway to discuss Denver’s head coaching vacancy today. Per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), it wasn’t a formal interview, but if there’s mutual interest between the two sides, that formal interview could still happen.

As we wait to see whether or not Gase sticks with the Broncos, let’s round up a few other notes from around the AFC….

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links) have updates on a pair of offensive coordinator searches. Per Rapoport, Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson will interview for the same role with the Jaguars, while Cabot reports that the Browns will speak to their tight ends coach Brian Angelichio about their offensive coordinator opening.
Steve Smith had a nice bounceback season in his first year in Baltimore in 2014, and remains under team control for 2015, but the Ravens want him to take a little time to decide whether or not he wants to continue his playing career, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. John Harbaugh said yesterday that the team would like Smith, who turns 36 this year, to take three weeks to see how he feels.
Texans GM Rick Smith praised new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. “He has been a valued and trusted confidant over the years and is an outstanding talent evaluator,” the GM said. Maccagnan previously served as Houston’s college scouting director.
Maccagnan and the team’s new head coach (now known to be Todd Bowles) will each report directly to owner Woody Johnson, tweets Mehta. Maccagnan, meanwhile, will have final say over the 53-man roster. The setup in Buffalo will be similar, according to Mehta (Twitter links) — new head coach Rex Ryan will report directly to owner Terry Pegula, but GM Doug Whaley has final say on the 53-man roster.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com gave his thoughts on Maccagnan yesterday, prior to the Jets‘ hiring of Bowles as its head coach. While there are question marks about Maccagnan, Cimini is glad to see that the team didn’t hire a bean counter like predecessor John Idzik. Maccagnan is a football man with roots in player evaluation, rather than a cap guru.
In his second offseason as the Browns‘ general manager, Ray Farmer will have plenty of notable free agent situations to address, according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, who identifies six unrestricted FAs and three restricted FAs that will be priorities in Cleveland.