With the QB situation possibly demanding keeping Thigpen on the roster, I have recently been asking myself if Brad Smith is really worth a roster spot, especially at the expense of several of our "bubble players". It is my opinion, if it came down to Brad Smith and Marcus Easley for the final spot, that the winner should be Marcus Easley. Here's why...



Brad Smith came here as a jack-of-all-trades. He can play WR, play wildcat QB, return kickoffs, etc... However, in 1+ seasons of work, I have seen very little evidence of this ability. His WR play is not among the top 6 players on the team. We certainly shouldn't keep him around for that. His wildcat ability didn't seem to me to be any better than Spiller's one attempt this pre-season. Sure, he is a 'threat' to pass, but when people see him coming on the field, they immediately know it is the wildcat package. Whereas, when Spiller or Jackson runs the wildcat, it will take defenses longer to recognize the package. Finally, his kickoff return ability seems to be much less than advertised. His average was quite low last year. Then, last night he fumbled while Easley returned a kick for a TD. I just don't see the value.

Easley, on the other hand, seems to have superior skills when it comes to terms of WR or KR. And, when you consider Spiller and Jackson's ability to run the wildcat, I can't see using a roster spot for Smith. Given the chance, I'd give that spot to Easley in a second.

What about you?