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

[Buckskin86]

Saints' Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma react differently to resolution
By Guerry Smith | CBSSports.com
December 12, 2012

Saints LB Jonathan Vilma and DE Will Smith both feel defamed by the NFL's bounty investigation, but they are taking different paths in defending themselves.

Vilma is continuing to pursue the defamation lawsuit he filed against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in May even after Paul Tagliabue vacated his season-long suspension and accompanying salary deduction on Tuesday.

Smith, who did not file a lawsuit, sounded more relieved than angry when he talked to reporters on Wednesday after his four-game suspension was vacated. In his ruling on Tuesday, Tagliabue said part of Goodell's rationale for the suspension was faulty -- that as a defensive captain Smith should have done more to stop the alleged bounty system.

?I'm going to have to sit down with my agent and figure out what we'll do next, if we do anything,? he said. ?I'm happy that it's over with and can move forward.?

Smith said his reputation had been tarnished unfairly, insisting former Saints defensive coordinator and former Saints assistant Mike Cerullo denied all of the allegations against him when they testified before Tagliabue in Washington D.C. two weeks ago.

Smith was there when Williams testified. He missed Cerullo's appearance because it occurred the same day as the Saints played the Falcons in Atlanta.

?People think that we actually went out and did this (pay-to-injure), and we didn't do this,? he said. ?You know, they said all along that I was the guy that started it, which Gregg said I didn't. They said that I was the guy that encouraged other players to be a part of a pay-for-performance scheme. I never did that. All the stuff that they're accusing me of doing, everyone said I didn't do.?

Still, he professed no animosity towards Goodell.

?I don't have anything negative to say about Goodell,? he said. ?Whatever information he received from whoever he received it from, obviously was false. He may have overreacted, but he has a tough job. He has to make tough decisions and tough rulings at times, so I don't have anything to say to the commissioner.?

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/n...onathan-vilma-react-differently-to-resolution

 

[Buckskin86]

New Orleans Saints Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma's days could be numbered with cap cuts looming
Mike Triplett, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune By Mike Triplett, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on December 21, 2012

Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma prevailed in their defiant battle against the NFL's bounty suspensions. But they'll face an even tougher adversary in the offseason:

The salary cap.

The two longtime leaders of the New Orleans Saints defense loom as the most likely veterans to be released as the Saints face the daunting task of slicing millions of dollars off their cap.

Unless the former Pro Bowlers agree to substantial pay cuts, their remarkable runs with the Saints likely will come to an end.

Neither Smith nor Vilma was interested this week in speculating about their futures. Although players are constantly aware of the business side of this game, they're equally aware that it does no good to dwell on their football mortality.

When Smith was asked if he has at least taken a moment to appreciate that he could be down to his final two games in a Saints uniform, he said, "Well, you always appreciate it. You never know. Nothing's guaranteed in this business."

"That's why you've always got to go out and perform, and that's why sitting at 6-8, you have two games left, you want to go out and play your best," continued Smith, who is tied for the longest-tenured player on the Saints roster with receiver Devery Henderson - both of whom arrived in the 2004 draft class (and both of whom could be gone next year, since Henderson is a free agent). "Because at the end of the day, this is a business. So you don't worry about this that and all these hypotheticals. You just go out and say at the end of the day, you'll know what's going on when it's time to go on. But right now it's nothing to be concerned about or worried about."

cont...

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2012/12/new_orleans_saints_will_smith_5.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Saints DE Smith will be back only at reduced rate
Posted Dec. 30, 2012
By Dan Parr

The Saints put questions about Sean Payton?s future to rest with the announcement of his new contract, and one of the next big issues for the team to tackle will be its salary-cap situation.

GM Mickey Loomis will not be able to just nibble around the edges to make the team cap compliant this offseason. The Saints are going to have to cut significant salary off the books just to get to the cap, which is expected to be around $121 million (the Saints have about $136 million committed to next year?s cap).

Some might be ready to write off DRE Will Smith as a goner ?he?s due $9 million plus a $1 million bonus and has a cap figure of $14.5 million in 2013. If he doesn?t agree to restructure his contract, it?s highly likely that he will be released, but the possibility of Smith agreeing to a drastic pay cut in order to stay with the Saints should not be ruled out, we hear.

It will be no surprise if the Saints do make an effort to keep Smith in the fold. Evaluators say the team does not have a better option to start at right end on the roster, and the Saints are unlikely to have the salary-cap flexibility to compete for one of the better players available at the position in free agency.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/12/30/saints-de-smith-will-be-back-only-at-reduced-rate

 

[Bestbuck36]

I would absolutely love to see Will Smith on the opposite side of Cam Wake on the Dolphins next year and they are going to be looking at DE's

 

[Buckskin86]

New defense could be bad news for Will Smith
Posted by Mike Florio on January 24, 2013

With the Saints switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense and defensive end Will Smith due to receive a base salary of $9 million in 2013, the chances of Will Smith becoming a salary-cap casualty possibly have increased.

While Dwight Freeney made the transition in Indianapolis last season despite the inflated contract-year base salary, Freeney?s status with the Colts wasn?t in doubt before the change to a 3-4 defense. Smith already had been mentioned as a guy who could be purged from the roster as the Saints try to get in line with the salary cap.

That said, the transition for Smith may not be as difficult. ?We were primarily a 3-4 in certain situations last year, and the past two years with Gregg [Williams] we were a form of 3-4,? Smith told Larry Holder of the New Orleans Time Picayune. ?So I mean [Sean Payton] probably thinks it would probably be the best defense to help the team. That?s his take on it. I haven?t had a chance to speak to him on it or anybody. He?s the head coach and he makes the final call.?

Linebacker Scott Shanle welcomes the change, primarily because the change from Gregg Williams to Steve Spagnuolo didn?t go all that well.

?It?s better to make a change than not make a change,? Shanle told Holder. ?I?m being brutally honest in that there absolutely were issues with the scheme. Guys no matter how many years they played, there were things I was being told to do in this scheme that I?ve never heard of, and I?ve played for four different defensive coordinators.?

He?ll now play for a fifth. Whoever it ends up being.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/24/new-defense-could-be-bad-news-for-will-smith/

 

[Buckskin86]

Will Smith on the Herd 1 28 13

 

[Buckskin86]

New Orleans Saints DE Will Smith says he sees himself in the team's 2013 mix
James Varney, NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune
February 01, 2013

Saints defensive end Will Smith and actor Wendell Pierce held a joint fundraiser for their respective foundations Friday evening, and prior to it Smith said he sees his future with the Saints. "In my mind, a productive, great year, so I'm moving forward," he said, when asked what he envisions for 2013.

Smith, who turns 32 in July, will be entering his 10th season with the club. His 67.5 sacks ranks him fourth all-time with the Saints. He has also forced 20 fumbles over his career, which includes a selection to the 2006 Pro Bowl.
will.jpeg Saints defensive end Will Smith prepares to autograph a football at a charity fundraiser for his Where There's a Will There's a Way Foundation at Canal Place in New Orleans on Friday night. James Varney

Prior to 2012, Smith renegotiated his contract and with Coach Sean Payton moving the defense to a 3-4 alignment it is unclear where Smith fits in those plans.

But the switch shouldn't make much difference, according to the defensive captain the past five years.

"Yeah, like I've said before part of the defensive scheme we had before was some sort of 3-4 anyway, that's what we've been doing," Smith said. "In my mind it's nothing I'm not used to so I'm not worried about it."

cont...

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2013/02/new_orleans_saints_de_will_smi_13.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C060_lAUoJ8"]Freestyle Love Supreme Performs on the SN Halftime Show with Saints DE Will Smith - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Saints asking Will Smith to take big pay cut
By Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports NFL Insider
February 18, 2013

The New Orleans Saints have asked defensive end Will Smith to take a steep pay cut, as expected, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The Saints are in a cap crunch, and Smith is set to count $10 million against the cap. He is a luxury they could not afford at that rate, despite their need for a pass rusher.

Linebacker Jonathan Vilma is another candidate for departure, and the situations with both players should come into better focus after the combine. Smith will have to assess whether it makes more sense to take the Saints' reduced offer or accept his release and take his chances in free agency.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/j.../saints-asking-will-smith-to-take-big-pay-cut

 

[Buckskin86]

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton envisions Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper on 2013 roster
Larry Holder, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 05, 2013

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton said he does envision defensive end Will Smith, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and safety Roman Harper on the Saints roster next year in an interview on WWL-AM on Tuesday night. Payton quickly added a disclaimer, though.

"First off, I do envision those guys in a Saints uniform, and yet I'm also realistic and understand that every year since the beginning of free agency the percentage of players on your roster that turns over is different than it used to be," Payton said. "There was a time where you had your draft. What two or three rookies were going to beat out the veterans on a roster?

"It's different now. There's an economic factor to it. It's as simple as a household budget. If you're going to have cable and you're going to have heat, you might not be able to have something else. So you've really got to look closely at your production, you've got to look closely at your cap."

cont...

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2013/03/new_orleans_saints_coach_sean_223.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJzaNQn98fQ"]Saints Will Smith Welcomes Celebs at His NOLA Event - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6clbKHtMrNk"]New Orleans Saints Will Smith Hosts Event to Give Back to NOLA - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Saints keep Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma
March, 12, 2013
By Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com

The New Orleans Saints have found a way to keep veteran linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith while still getting under the salary cap.

Larry Holder reports the Saints have restructured the contracts of Vilma and Smith, who were scheduled to count more than $23 million against the salary cap. It?s unclear how much cap space the restructures created, but it?s fair to assume both players took significant pay cuts. The Saints also released linebacker Will Herring.

But Vilma and Smith will have to go through a big transition as the Saints switch from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 scheme. Smith still will play defensive end, but the change will be more pronounced for Vilma.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/45911/saints-keep-will-smith-jonathan-vilma

 

[Buckskin86]

Smith was scheduled to earn $10.15 million in cash compensation in 2013, including a $1 million roster bonus on the 15th day of the league year, a $9 million base salary and a $150,000 workout bonus. Smith was scheduled to count $14.502 million against the cap. In the renegotiated deal, Smith's $1 million roster bonus and $150,000 workout bonus remain, but his salary has been reduced to $3 million, a $6 million pay cut that lowers his cap number to $8.502 million for the upcoming season.

The 2014 season on Smith's contract, which calls for a $10.4 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus and $150,000 workout bonus, was unchanged.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...arly-11-million-cap-space-031238264--nfl.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Will Smith shifting from DE to OLB
Updated: May 21, 2013
ESPN.com news services

NEW ORLEANS -- The Saints began their transition to a 3-4 defense on Monday with the biggest change being defensive captain Will Smith working at outside linebacker, rather than the defensive end spot at which he has played his whole career.

"That's where we'll start him," coach Sean Payton said, noting that outside linebackers often play pass-rushing roles in a 3-4 scheme. "We can play him right and left, but I think initially that right outside position would be very similar to what he's played for us in the past."

Payton said he envisions veteran Jonathan Vilma as one of the two middle linebackers in the new scheme.

Payton's suspension ended in January, shortly after the regular season concluded with the Saints finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time in four years. Upon his return, Payton quickly made changes to a defense that gave up an NFL worst-ever 7,042 yards last season, bringing in Rob Ryan as his new coordinator, which also meant changing alignments from a 4-3 [four lineman, three linebackers] to a 3-4.

"There's just got to be some flexibility when it comes to the transition," Payton said. "There'll be a few players that will learn more than one spot."

Smith said he'll have to get used to starting plays in an upright stance, whereas before he crouched down with a hand on the turf. But beyond that, he said learning the new position is "not that bad."

"I may have a couple [pass] coverage responsibilities, but for the most part I'm just rushing (the passer) and playing the run," Smith said.

For Smith, the bigger difference -- and a welcome one -- is heading into a season without any bounty accusations or possible suspensions hanging over his head, and having Payton back at team headquarters.

In 2012, Smith initially was issued a four-game suspension, and Vilma a full-season ban, for what the NFL said were their roles as leaders in a bounty program that rewarded big plays -- including big and sometimes injury-causing hits -- with improper cash bonuses. However, player suspensions were never served and ultimately thrown out on appeal.

"It's definitely a different year," Smith said. "Sean coming back brings a whole different element to the team. ... Nothing's been the same since he's been back. I think that's perfect for the group to move on, putting everything behind us and start a whole completely new year."

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9297331/will-smith-works-olb-new-orleans-saints-shift-3-4-defense

 

[Buckskin86]

Saints -- Is there a Will in the way?
By: David Grubb
David Grubb's Blog

Will Smith (#91) will be given the chance by the New Orleans Saints to show he can play outside linebacker in the 3-4 defensive alignment (Photo: Parker Waters).

The New Orleans Saints are in the midst of their organized training activities, which is just a fancy way of saying practice. One of the biggest developments in the early going has been the announcement that long-time defensive end Will Smith will be moving to outside linebacker in new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's 3-4 scheme.

That transition seems like an odd choice given that Smith has never shown the kind of burst that you expect of out 3-4 edge rushers like current NFL standouts J.J. Watt, Cameron Wake or DeMarcus Ware. Also, after nine years, there are serious questions about Smith's ability to accept new responsibilities against the run and the pass.

It seems like a desperation move for a defense that has to get younger, faster, more athletic and just plain better. It also seems like Saints head coach Sean Payton wants to give one of the most liked guys in the locker room every chance to make the roster, when they probably should have cut Smith loose after last season. If not then, they may have been able to get something - anything - for him at draft time.

Will Smith has been a productive player for the Saints. In his career, he has accumulated 67.5 sacks, good for fourth all-time in team history. Out of Saints players with at least 50 sacks, he is tied for fourth in sacks per game behind Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling and La'Roi Glover. In 2006, Smith was a Pro Bowl selection. Overall, he has been a good representative for the team on- and off-the-field. Plus, he accepted a significant pay cut to stay with the team this offseason. He wants to be here.

cont..

http://sportsnola.com/sports/sports-blogs/david-grubbs/597421-saints-is-there-a-will-in-the-way.html

 

[Buckskin86]

New Orleans Saints veteran Will Smith readily adapts to change
New Orleans Saints, mini camp day 2

Veteran Will Smith (91) and Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan take a break from drills during minicamp Wednesday. Smith is adjusting to a new position at outside linebacker. (Ted Jackson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Larry Holder, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Will Smith has dealt with change throughout his New Orleans Saints career. The veteran defender has played under five defensive coordinators since being drafted in 2004. He's one of two players currently on the roster to spend the 2005 season based in San Antonio after Hurricane Katrina.

Two things have remained a constant Smith during his long Saints career: his role as the main pass rusher at defensive end and a yearly expanding paycheck.

Now, Smith is doing what he has to do to remain a New Orleans Saint. He has shifted to outside linebacker and taken a drastic cut in pay to remain on the team.

"I know they brought me back because they wanted me to play," Smith said. "I'll be out there playing."

cont...

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2013/06/new_orleans_saints_de_will_smi_14.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Ranking the New Orleans Saints' players: No. 14, Will Smith

Will Smith moves from a 4-3 end to a 3-4 outside linebacker in the Saints' new defense. (Eliot Kamenitz, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

By NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
July 02, 2013

No. 14: DE Will Smith

Last Year's Rank: 7

Season: 10; Age: 31* (32 on July 4); Height: 6-3; Weight: 282

Smith is no longer a dynamic pass rusher. He had just six sacks last season and 18 over the past three years. But he still packs a lot of power, and he remains a handful for opposing left tackles against both the pass and the run. Three of Smith's biggest plays last year came against the run - two outstanding efforts on goal-line stands and one backfield stuff of rising Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Doug Martin.

Many were surprised to see the Saints move Smith to outside linebacker in their new 3-4 scheme, since his skill set seems like a better fit for the 3-4 end position. But based on early indications, his role won't change too much. He'll still be a pass rusher on almost every down -- rarely being asked to drop into coverage. And in some nickel and dime formations, he'll probably wind up playing on the line of scrimmage with an edge rusher outside of him. The Saints are still counting on big things from Smith this year, which is why they wanted to keep him at a reduced salary instead of releasing him during their salary-cap crunch.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2013/07/ranking_the_new_orleans_saints_11.html