‘09 Eagles UFA: TE L.J. Smith

NFL free agency kicks off February 27th.  Crazy how close that is.  Although the majority of media focus goes toward the prospect of the Eagles signing a big-name, big-money free agent from outside the current locker room, the Eagles quietly have seven players currently headed toward unrestricted free agency.

Who will resign?  Who will we let walk?

In uncertain times like these, turn to SportsOnBroad.com.  We’ve got your answers for you.

The first of the Eagles 2009 unrestricted free agent spotlight series is starting tight end L.J. Smith

2008 Season Overview:

• Prior to the 2008 season, L.J. Smith was coming off a sports hernia injury and the worst statistical season of his career.  Even still, the Eagles placed the franchise tag on Smith (the equivalent of a 1-year $4.5 million contract) and named him the starter over the up-and-coming Brent Celek.
• How does L.J. respond to the confidence the Eagles front office showed in him?  With the second worst statistical season of his career.  His 298 receiving yards ranked him 30th in the league behind greats like Robert Royal and Donald Lee. Even his backup Celek posted more regular season receiving yards than Smith.
• Known for his inability to hold on to catchable throws, L.J. replaced butter fingers with a complete lack of explosiveness.  He couldn’t get open all year, despite Donovan’s ongoing effort to force the ball to Smith over the middle.  Maybe it was the lingering impact of the sports hernia injury, but Smith seemed to run bowlegged in ‘08 (or maybe his end isn’t so tight after all).

This man, or someone that looks exactly like him, is going to steal L.J.'s job in '09

2009 Outlook:

• There is absolutely no chance that L.J. gets franchised again.  Smith became more and more irrelevant as the season went on, and coincidentally his playing time decreased as the Eagles went on their late season run.
• Celek was looking like the future starter late in the regular season, but really came on in the postseason.  His 19 catches, 151 yards and 3 TDs in the Eagles three playoff games cemented his rightful place atop the depth chart.  Celek’s Kevin Boss-like breakout postseason has L.J. Smith in line for a Jeremy Shockey-like exit from Philadelphia.
  

Will he be a Bird in ‘09?

• Absolutely not.
• Unless Smith offers to play for free, he’s gone.  Even then I’m hesitant to use a roster spot on him, although his uselessness at TE may only be eclipsed by that of Matt Schobel, who held down a roster spot for the entire ‘08 season.  I wish L.J. all the best in his future endeavors, but this is addition by subtraction here.