Prior to the 2015 NFL season, Steve Smith Sr. said the year would be his last. Since an Achilles injury prematurely ended his campaign, however, the Baltimore Ravens wideout has changed his mind.
Smith announced Wednesday on Twitter that he will come back for 2016.
https://twitter.com/89SteveSmith/status/682245818913435651
It’s a bit of an understatement to say the Ravens desperately need Smith’s presence. Baltimore has a notable lack of experienced depth at receiver.
The franchise spent its 2015 first-round pick on speedster Breshad Perriman, who missed the entire season due to a knee injury. Kamar Aiken played reasonably well, but Chris Givens, Jeremy Butler and Marlon Brown were nothing more than a collection of reserves thrown into leading roles.
Smith, on the other hand, was among the league’s most productive wideouts. The 36-year-old appeared in seven games, racking up 46 catches, 670 yards and three touchdowns.
His return will allow the Ravens to have another chance at transitioning from Smith to Perriman, which was expected in 2015. Young receivers should not be expected to excel immediately, and reducing pressure on Perriman will only help his development for the post-Smith era.
Baltimore also needs Joe Flacco to rehab from an ACL tear, but ESPN’s Jamison Henley reported the team expects the quarterback to be “100 percent ready” for training camp.
The 5-10 Ravens are guaranteed to record the franchise’s worst finish since 2007, but 2016 doesn’t look so bleak.