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DE Will Smith (National Champion, Super Bowl Champion, Pro-bowler; R.I.P.)

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Saints DE Smith says scheme limiting sack production
By Dan Parr

The most productive season of Saints DE Will Smith's career coincided with the team's run to the Super Bowl in 2009. He made a career-high 13 sacks that season, which was also Gregg Williams' first as the team's defensive coordinator, but Smith has only eight sacks in the 20 games in which he has played since then.

Sacks aren't always a fair indication of how a pass rusher is performing, and Smith told PFW he thinks his production in that area has been significantly affected by New Orleans' defensive system.

"I know based upon the way our scheme is, it can be difficult at times for an end to get a sack because we don't have the normal amount of snaps that a normal end has at just pure pass-rushing the tackle to get to the quarterback," Smith explained. "We have so many different packages and we do so many different things defensively, it doesn't give us that opportunity. One minute we'll be in the three-technique. The next minute it will be a four-man rush and then the next minute it will be a three-man rush.

"We're not a team like Indianapolis where those guys are going to get, out of the plays they play, they're going to be rushing the passer on at least 85 percent of them. We don't have those types of opportunities. We don't four-man rush as much as we did before. The opportunities are still there, but there are not as many opportunities as there would be if we were a traditional 4-3 defense."

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http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/10/28/saints-de-smith-says-scheme-limiting-sack-producti
 
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Big Willie.....

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Will Smith, Saints. For a long time, Abraham and Smith have been viewed as the NFC South?s top two pass-rushers. But it?s possible they?ll both be gone. Smith?s situation is slightly different than Abraham?s.

To start with, Smith remains under contract, which is precisely the reason he?s even in this discussion. Smith is scheduled to count $10.15 million against the 2012 salary cap. That?s an issue for a team that?s trying to figure out how to keep free-agent quarterback Drew Brees, guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston.

Let?s do the math real quick here. The Saints could save a $1 million roster bonus if they cut Smith before the 15th day of the league year. If they did release Smith, the Saints would only be on the hook for $4 million against the salary cap. In other words, they could free up $6.15 million in salary-cap space.

Throw in the fact that Smith will turn 31 in July and produced only 6.5 sacks in 2011 and I think you can see the Saints have to at least consider this possibility. But there also are some things weighing in Smith?s favor. It?s not like the Saints have another dominant pass-rusher (safety Roman Harper led the team with 7.5 sacks last season) and new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes his pass rush to come almost exclusively from the front four. That could weigh in Smith?s favor. But, if Smith really wants to shift the scales and make sure he stays in New Orleans this year, he might be willing to restructure his contract to make it more cap friendly.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/53666/faces-of-nfc-south-could-change
 
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Saints 2012: DE Will Smith - worth it?
by Kristian Garic, [email protected], posted Feb 14 2012

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Clearly the Saints defensive line was a bit of a disappointment in 2011, but is a problem with coaching or the talent? We'll find out soon with new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo now calling the shots. Spag's has developed a reputation of being a defensive line expert. The team's best defensive lineman, Will Smith, had just 35 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season. What's more? He is scheduled to make 10.2 million dollars in 2012. NFL teams keep a watchful eye on production vs. money. Smith signed a 6 year, $70 million contract back in 2008. His best season came in 2009 with 13.5 sacks, helping the Saints win the Super Bowl. Smith is a team captain and one of the leaders of the team since arriving in 2004 as the club's first round draft pick.

With so many young players on the offensive side of the football that could become free agents this offseason, the Saints might ask Smith to restructure his contract. The team has a number of big dollar deals to work out and have to keep any eye on the salary cap. New Orleans is trying to work out a long term deal with quarterback Drew Brees, and the Saints have guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston with expiring contracts.

Is Smith's production worth the pay? It's hard to justify $10.2 million for a 30 year old aging veteran defensive lineman. However, it's not guaranteed they'll have much luck finding a better replacement in the draft or free agency. "That's the problem, do you want to take that chance and release Smith and not get an upgrade?" WWL's Bobby Hebert asked.

Smith has been selected to the Pro Bowl 1 time in his career and is an above average defensive end in the NFL, but not an elite pass rusher. "Those are hard to find, they just don't come around all that much. So, it's unrealistic to think you can just cut him and find that dynamic pass rusher on the open market," said Saints color analyst Hokie Gajan.

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http://www.wwl.com/pages/10773651.php?pid=208469
 
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The Will Smith contract restructuring was necessary to help the New Orleans Saints in free agency
03/01/12
Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune

The restructuring of New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith's contract makes sense -- and cents. It should come as no surprise to anyone who understands the Saints' predicament.

With free agency looming on March 13, the Saints need to work some kind of accounting magic to make the numbers work. They have 16 unrestricted free agents.

The six-year, $70 million deal Smith signed in 2008 was a good place to start.

Smith's $10.15 million salary cap figure for this season was the highest on the roster.

By guaranteeing most or all of the $8.15 million Smith was scheduled to earn in base salary and bonuses this season, the Saints will save about $5 million to $6 million in cap space.

It's part of the procedural accounting process necessary to allow the club to sign its top free agents.

As of the beginning of this week, the Saints were about $15 million under the projected salary cap of about $120 million, including $4.2 million of space carried over from last season.

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http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/03/the_will_smith_was_necessary_t.html
 
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Will Smith deal cleared $4.78 million for cap
March, 6, 2012
By Pat Yasinskas

The New Orleans Saints have saved $4.78 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contract of veteran defensive end Will Smith, according to numbers obtained by ESPN.com.

The deal was finalized Monday as the Saints position themselves to be under the salary cap at the start of free agency. That could be a challenge because the Saints have placed a franchise tag of almost $15 million on quarterback Drew Brees and want to attempt to re-sign guard Carl Nicks and receiver Marques Colston, as well as some other free agents. The Saints likely will be releasing some veterans in the coming days, but restructuring Smith gives them some added flexibility.

The deal was signed Monday and it dropped Smith?s 2012 base salary from $7 million down to the veteran minimum of $825,000. But Smith was well compensated for working with the Saints. He received a $6.175 signing bonus as part of the restructure. He also is scheduled to earn a $1 million roster bonus in late March and a $150,000 bonus for taking part in an unspecified number of the team?s offseason workouts.

The only downside is that Smith?s 2013 cap figure jumps to more than $14.5 million and will be almost $14 million in 2014, the final year of the contract. But the Saints can restructure the deal again in future years to make it more cap friendly.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/31937/will-smith-deal-cleared-4-78-million-for-cap
 
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Saints' Smith has charges dismissed
March 13, 2012The Advocate

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) ? The Lafayette Parish District Attorney's Office has dismissed a misdemeanor domestic abuse battery charge against New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith.

Assistant District Attorney Janet Perrodin tells The Advocate charges were dismissed Monday after Smith completed dozens of hours of community service and participated in counseling.

A grand jury indicted Smith in March 2011 on misdemeanor charges of domestic abuse battery and public intoxication stemming from his Nov. 27, 2010, arrest by the Lafayette police.

Officers arrested Smith after he and his wife, Racquel, got into an argument just after 2 a.m. when they were leaving a nightclub in downtown Lafayette.

Perrodin said his wife requested the charges be dismissed against her husband.
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http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/...es-dismissed/fd6d9a1de73e48518b856882d03b0771
 
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Smith returns for All-Star dinner
By MIKE LEVIN
Story Updated: Apr 1, 2012

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - Proctor grad Will Smith returned to the Mohawk Valley Saturday for the Fourth Annual "Evening With All-Stars" banquet at Danielle's. The current defensive captain of the New Orleans Saints talked about why it's important to come back every year.

"It's my fourth year doing this and it's very important. We want to honor the top players in this area and we want to continue to educate the kids that are going on to play college and do whatever in life and we want to give them some kind of education moving forward, because most of them are going to be juiniors or seniors that make this team."

Proceeds from the event go towards Smith's "Where There's a Will There's a Way" Foundation.

It also happens that the Final Four is going on in Smith's professional home of New Orleans, featuring his Alma Mater, Ohio State. Will is excited to see the Buckeyes there, but understands how tough it was for SU fans back in Central NY, when Ohio State beat the Orange in last week's Elite 8.

"It's exciting to have the alma mater playing in the final four and I'm happy those guys had the opportunity to make it. I know they had to beat Syracuse to make it there, but sorry for Cuse, happy for the Buckeyes. I watched the enitre game in Florida and ironically there was a lot of Buckeye fans around."

Smith couldn't talk about the bounty issues surrounding the Saints, though he did mention how exciting the 2011 season was, with all the uncertainty of the lockout heading in and the Giants pulling off another improbable run to a title.
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http://www.wktv.com/sports/Smith-returns-for-All-Star-dinner-145451305.html
 
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Roman Harper, Will Smith could be punished in 'bounty' case
By Jason La Canfora
NFL Network Insider
Published: April 16, 2012

While much of the attention regarding pending player discipline for the New Orleans Saints' "bounty" program has focused on linebacker Jonathan Vilma, safety Roman Harper and defensive end Will Smith also featured prominently in the NFL's investigation, sources with knowledge of the situation said ..

Harper and Smith were probed in depth and could end up facing more severe discipline than the majority of the players whom the league believes were active in the program. The NFL's report indicated 22 to 27 players were involved during the three years the Saints' defense was investigated.
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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...hed-in-bounty-case?module=HP11_headline_stack
 
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Saints' Vilma, Smith draw suspensions
May, 2, 2012
By Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com

Two months to the day after announcing an investigation into a three-year bounty program by the New Orleans Saints, the NFL has announced player discipline.

Only two current Saints have been suspended. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been suspended for the entire 2012 season and defensive end Will Smith for the first four games.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/34662/vilma-smith-draw-suspensions
 
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