The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AS teams head into training camp and every National Football League roster is in flux, one veteran player with Bahamian roots took advantage of the opportunity to continue his career as a journeyman reserve.

The New Orleans Saints signed tight end Alex Smith over the weekend as they look to replace injured rookie Jack Tabb who suffered a knee injury in Thursday’s practice at The Greenbrier in West Virginia.

With the departure of All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham to free agency, the Saints have struggled to find a replacement for his production in the offseason and add depth to the position.

Orson Charles and Ben Watson lead the race on the depth chart headed into camp, but reserves Josh Hill and Kevin Brock have been hampered by injuries as well.

Add Tabb’s injury and it opened up the opportunity for Smith to fill the void. He became the third former Cincinnati Bengal tight end to join the Saints roster along with Charles and Brock.

A 10-year veteran who spent all last season as an injured reserve, Smith was released by the Bengals as they revamped the tight end position with new draft picks.

In 2013, Smith was the only tight end of the trio to appear in all 16 games for the Bengals. He caught three passes for 12 yards and one touchdown.

Smith is the son of Ed Smith, the first Bahamian drafted to the NFL when the Denver Broncos took him with the 319th selection in the 1973 Draft.

After a storied career at Stanford, the younger Smith was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

During his four-year tenure with the Bucs, Smith started 43 of 58 games, recorded 129 receptions for 1,252 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In 2009, he was traded to the New England Patriots for a fifth round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft but was subsequently released during final cuts in September. He followed with a three-year stint with the Cleveland Browns.

The 32-year old has appeared in 119 NFL games, with 57 starts. He has 163 receptions for 1,473 yards and 13 touchdowns.

During his tenure with the Buccaneers, the Smiths became a fixture in the development of local football when they hosted a series of summer clinics for potential players seeking scholarship opportunities in the United States.