That’s pretty discouraging news but they don’t have the depth at safety to cut him. He’s dirt cheap and the primary backup. As aggravating as he is to watch, his roster spot is a lock unless some unheralded rookie surprises everyone.

You know Hines probably has something in mind for the young man.

Besides being uncontrollable, how did Smith do in his job in the practice? Any long balls over his head, or did it look like he was in the right posistion and tracking with receivers well?

Just wondering.

I reckon I agree with the sentiment that he’ll probably be with the team due to depth.

I think everyone is being pretty hard on Smith – yes somewhat of a jackass… But just imagine if in week 2 he lights up Braylon Edwards and then Kellen Winslow. I’m sure no one would mind that – sometimes you have to be a little crazy.. Remember guys like Lambert and Greene? I’m not against some mean, nasty, SOB knocking some dudes around.. They are football players.

Smith has potential. I really liked his special teams play and his nickel/dime coverage skills in his rookie year. He proved he could hit. Last year was abysmal. Vin above is right. We were all prognosticating Smith would start. He did start a couple games. He was horrible. He didn’t just get beat by Tom (50 TD) Brady. He got humiliated by Brady. A couple times. Smith never recovered from the NE debacle and was horrid the rest of the year getting beat like one of Michael Vick’s dogs on a regular basis.
I agree with someone above who said the Steelers don’t have the depth at S to just cut Smith after he hammered Hines and played putrid in 07. I am hoping Troy and Clark stay healthy and Smith plays good on ST. If we use him on nickel and dime I hope he does his job and hits some opponents like they were Hines or Reid. His Steelers career is not over yet but he needs to do some good things in 08 if he wants to stay a Steeler.

NON-CONTACT DRILL!

Taking someone out in a non-contact drill is like taking a humvee into a bumper car ride. No one in the “Non-contact” drill is playing with the intensity and preparation for getting hit…and that does make a big difference as to how you and your body react – in fact its one of the basics in some martial arts – that you prepare your body before getting hit. Non contact is about running routes, about being in position, about being able to be there to make the play. If Smith taps Hines on the shoulder or grabs him in that situation then no big deal. To loose the plot and deck someone when they’re walking through a drill is lame.

I think everyone will agree that in the context of a game, against the opposing team, taking out a receiver is a good thing-part of the game, but the lack of clarity of purpose and focus that this shows is disturbing. Even in a game context this inability to adjust to a second mental process is going to be bad for the team (See the clips of Smith last year vs Pats). If he can’t have more than one thought in his head – i.e. smack the receiver/runner, then he is going to be caught out on play action and the like time and again.

I don’t think we should “throw him under the bus”, but I do wonder about his prospects.