Broncos ink FB Paul Smith

[Flyboy063]

http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=NFL&id=1891

Broncos signed FB Paul Smith to a three-year contract.

Smith began last season as the Rams' starter before losing his job due to injuries. Denver currently has five fullbacks on its active roster.

Anybody know anything about him? Is this a good or bad signing?

[Barry Ramey]

I know he's considered a good special teams player, but it is an odd signing with Johnson and Sapp around. So maybe looking at one of them being gone I guess.

[chrisp]

I know very little about the guy, but i do know we need a solid blocking fullback. Given that this guy has been in the league for seven seasons without ever posting more than 90 yards rushing or recieving, I would suggest that this is probably his strength......

[rovolution]

He is supposedly a Special Teams stud according to Schefter (and we obviously need help in that department).

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

Let the KJ and pick 21 to Houston for pick 8 begin ;D

[wolf754life]

finally, a guy who will only focus on special teams, think young keith burns

[chaz]

supposedly he is well-known for being a great wedge-buster on kick coverage...gimme some of that.

[spdirty]

supposedly he is well-known for being a great wedge-buster on kick coverage...gimme some of that.

hell yeah!!!!! Didnt understand this signing till I saw he was a stud on Kick coverage.

[HEAV]

Our special teams will be much improved in 07. But it will be more about our new SP coach than any player.

Still a nice pickup for the team. Who know's? He may beat out both Sapp and Kyle?????

[Atlas]

If Ernster doesn't punt any better the Special teams won't be much improved.

[RunSilentRunDeep]

Unless Sapp also fills the role of the third RB, Johnson is gone. And if Graham is signed, they'll probably be in two-TE sets so much a fullback won't even be on the field. Nice pickup.

[baja]

roncos apparently found their starting tailback for the 2007 season when Travis Henry agreed today to a 5-year deal that includes $12 million in guaranteed money, a source familiar with the negotiations confirmed.
Henry, gained 1,211 yards on 270 carries for the Tennessee Titans last season. He was released by the Titans on Saturday, allowing the team to avoid paying him an $8.3 million roster bonus.
Henry, 28, ran for 100 or more yards six times last season. He spent the past two years with the Titans after playing four years with the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him from the University of Tennessee.
Henry gained more than 1,000 yards during the 2002 and 2003 seasons with the Bills.
He has two strikes against him in
Hello Travis
Analyze Travis Henry's career statistics.
the NFL substance abuse policy. A third strike would mean a season-long suspension for Henry.
<b>Meanwhile, Denver agreed to terms for a three-year deal with fullback and special teams ace Paul Smith, his agent Steve Baker said. Smith spent the 2006 season in St. Louis. He spent his first four seasons in San Francisco and the next two in Detroit.
Smith likely will compete with Kyle Johnson at fullback if Johnson returns. Fullback Cecil Sapp is expected to play a lot at tailback. Smith is known for being a great wedge buster on special teams.

[RunSilentRunDeep]

Smith likely will compete with Kyle Johnson at fullback if Johnson returns. Fullback Cecil Sapp is expected to play a lot at tailback. Smith is known for being a great wedge buster on special teams.

After getting $12M upfront. Travis Henry is the only one that's going to play a lot of tailback.

[Dudeskey]

He is supposedly a Special Teams stud according to Schefter (and we obviously need help in that department).

Being an ex-ram, he must have been one of the few that were worth a damn on ST... They've been horrible for about the last 4 seasons

[Kaylore]

Sapp is going to play more running back, so this is good.

[ward63]

I like the signing. It means that there will be competition heavily at fullback and we haven't had a real good one for a while.

[Barry Ramey]

I know I have mentioned numerous times how the ST have been mediocre for awhile, so hopefully this is a sign that Shanahan is going to take it seriously now.

[Drek]

Photo of Paul Smith, if anyone is interested.

http://www.stlouisrams.com/mediaContent/2006/10/05/15/paul_smith_57854.jpg

He's 5'11", 237, Scouts Inc. comments that he's a tweener who isn't very good at sustaining lead blocks and doesn't have HB speed but is a good athlete for his size, making him a capable special teamer.

[El Guapo]

This guy will be a GREAT special teamer for us. He really has the potential to be the kind of FB that shanny likes too... oh yeah, he went to UTEP! GO PAUL SMITH, my new adoptee!

[broncswin]

no wonder we couldn't sign Kerney, we spent all our money on a damn fullback ;)

[Odysseus]

I like the signing. It means that there will be competition heavily at fullback and we haven't had a real good one for a while.

I hope this is more than a special teams signing. We need a guy who hand delivers us third downs so that Cutler can let if fly.

This year is better than last year when every other player was a Brown's player. These are some smart pickups.

[BroncoBuff]

We're his 4th team in just 7 years ...

[Odysseus]

Sapp is going to play more running back, so this is good.

I think the addition of Henry really does give Sapp a better chance of being in on key plays. He catches and blocks better than Kyle. Kyle keeps getting cut. He might not make it this year.

Does anyone think three years for Paul Smith is three years?

[gunns]

supposedly he is well-known for being a great wedge-buster on kick coverage...gimme some of that.

That's what I've heard also, he's supposedly great on special teams. Has a neck injury though.

[watermock]

Another good move. I think Alexander, Kyle J. and Burnsie might be gone, altho I think we signed Burnsie, doesn't mean he will stick.

Does anyone get wood when you hear wedge buster besides Bobo?

He will get a physical so we shall see...and no...not including a wedgie. Ha!

[ludo21]

good move

a younger Burns.. hopefully we can cut him now and get Webster on the field more.

[Drek]

I hope this is more than a special teams signing. We need a guy who hand delivers us third downs so that Cutler can let if fly.

This year is better than last year when every other player was a Brown's player. These are some smart pickups.

Paul Smith isn't hand delivering any 3rd downs. He's a lot like Sapp and Johnson, heavy, slow RBs who convert to FB and never quite become the blockers you'd like. Shanahan doesn't much care for those types though. Howard Griffith wasn't exactly a Lorenzo Neal type line opener himself, but he got to a point of being very reliable.

I think Sapp has the tools to step it up to a role like that, but Smith and Johnson don't. I think this is more a Johnson out, Sapp and Smith competing for the job in '07 with Sapp being a contributor as a 4th RB option and Smith as a special teams guy.

Personally I hope we draft or UDFA sign Corey Anderson out of Tennessee, guy was 270 at one point in his playing career, was down to 258 for the Inta Juice All-Star game where he was very impressive. Quality blocker, impressive vertical and explosiveness, good hands. Not much of a runner but he'd be the blocking/receiving threat I'd like to see this offense incorporate.

But don't forget that Graham has experience as an H-Back as well, wouldn't surprise me if Shanahan implements that as part of our Graham and Sheffler use.

[watermock]

Sapp isn't slow, he's just not explosive off of the snap. He is a 4.55 guy out of the combine. He was really coming around and accepting his role and got hurt. He's never been injury prone tho.

[crazyhorse]

:spit:

[WoodMan]

Read that he has been a good lead blocker for Steven Jackson. Don't know where this "can't sustain a lead block" has come from? Nfl.com gives him a pretty good review. As bad as Denver's special teams were last year, I think he is a good addition.

[WoodMan]

:spit:

Troll

[watermock]

Enjoy your bust and long snapper. Harris wound up riding the pine.

[rubaiyat]

After getting $12M upfront. Travis Henry is the only one that's going to play a lot of tailback.

Perhaps he means of the time Sapp will play...it will be mostly at tailback.

[Drek]

Read that he has been a good lead blocker for Steven Jackson. Don't know where this "can't sustain a lead block" has come from? Nfl.com gives him a pretty good review. As bad as Denver's special teams were last year, I think he is a good addition.

ScoutsInc didn't much care for his blocking skills and that was from a rating done after the '05 season, he didn't play much last year.

Where did you read a review on him at NFL.com? Never known them to have anything other than draft coverage on players and raw stats.

[Odysseus]

Rushing
Year Team G GS Att Yds Avg Lg TD 20+ 1st
2000 San Francisco 49ers 10 0 18 72 4.0 14 0 0 3
2001 San Francisco 49ers 15 0 4 27 6.8 13 1 0 1
2002 San Francisco 49ers 11 0 18 90 5.0 16 0 0 6
2003 Detroit Lions 7 0 2 5 2.5 3 0 0 0
2004 Detroit Lions 0 0 0 0 --- 0 0 0 0
2005 Detroit Lions 12 5 4 16 4.0 6 0 0 1
2006 St. Louis Rams 10 3 0 0 --- 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 65 8 46 210 4.6 16 1 0 11
Receiving
Year Team G GS Rec Yds Avg Lg TD 20+ 40+ 1st
2000 San Francisco 49ers 10 0 2 55 27.5 47 0 1 1 1
2001 San Francisco 49ers 15 0 0 0 --- 0 0 0 0 0
2002 San Francisco 49ers 11 0 5 33 6.6 11 0 0 0 1
2003 Detroit Lions 7 0 5 45 9.0 12 0 0 0 3
2004 Detroit Lions 0 0 0 0 --- 0 0 0 0 0
2005 Detroit Lions 12 5 6 49 8.2 11 0 0 0 4
2006 St. Louis Rams 10 3 0 0 --- 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 65 8 18 182 10.1 47 0 1 1

[footstepsfrom#27]

We're his 4th team in just 7 years ...
So he's in high demand then? ;D

[footstepsfrom#27]

Read that he has been a good lead blocker for Steven Jackson. Don't know where this "can't sustain a lead block" has come from? Nfl.com gives him a pretty good review. As bad as Denver's special teams were last year, I think he is a good addition.
All I see on NFL.com is a career stat sheet.