BetAnySports Sportsbook Online>
Home / Football / BetAnySports NFL News – Patriots Sign DE Will Smith

BetAnySports NFL News – Patriots Sign DE Will Smith

  • Updated: May 17, 2014
    • BetAnySports NFL News Patriots Sign DE Will Smith

    BetAnySports NFL News – Patriots Sign DE Will Smith

    The Former New Orleans Saints player will be 33 in July, but he has 67.5 sacks over 12 straight years of action in New Orleans to go with 459 total tackles. Though Smith did sit out the 2013 season with a torn ACL, in each of the prior 12 seasons he played at least 14 games each year.

    The Saints were likely not thrilled about letting Smith go, but his $11.55 million salary and bonus impact this season might be better spent by the team on signing the draftees they are about to pick up later this week.

    BetAnySports NFL News Patriots Sign DE Will Smith

    The Patriots were active early on in free agency but very quiet in recent weeks. One of their most glaring deficiencies going into the draft before the Smith signing was at defensive end. Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich played around 95 percent of the defensive snaps for the team last season at the position. Smith will also be in position to help mold the next generation of defenders on the team, as the Patriots are likely to grab some promising young linemen and secondary helpers in the draft.

    The 6-foot-3, 282 pound Smith is a gritty, physical, and intelligent lineman who will surely help Patriots Coach Bill Bellichick revamp and revive a defense that’s been lacking in recent years. The Patriots were once a very daunting force on defense, but the loss of key superstars like Rodney Harrisson and too many others to name over the last five years made the offense the story in most games. Whenever the defense stepped up the term “bend but don’t break” was typically used to describe their impact. Bellichick obviously would prefer the label “don’t bend and don’t break” for next year’s new and improved defensive group.

    Smith joins two more high-profile free agent pickups for the Patriots: Cornerback Darrelle Revis (A.K.A. “Revis Island”) and Defensive Back Brandon Browner. The terms of Smith’s signing on Monday have not yet been released.

    By William Lewis
    Visit the Author’s Google+ page

    Summary
    BetAnySports NFL News Patriots Sign DE Will Smith
    Article Name
    BetAnySports NFL News - Patriots Sign DE Will Smith
    Description
    The New England Patriots added one more veteran to their defense this week with the signing of DE Will Smith. BetAnySports NFL News keeps you covered!
    Author