Steve Smith was the No. 1 receiver in Carolina for a long time, but he sees a different role for himself now that he’s a member of the Ravens.
Smith says that he’s studied the offense that Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak ran as the head coach in Houston and likes the “creative ways” that Houston got the ball to their receivers other than Andre Johnson. That’s the role that Smith envisions for himself in 2014 in an offense that he feels will allow him to benefit from the presence of others rather than being the guy that every defense is trying to stop.
“I don’t see myself in Coach Kubiak’s system like [Johnson],” Smith said, via the team’s website. “I see the complementary dude of [former Texans wide receiver] Kevin Walter. I see how he contributed and how he was instrumental in getting Andre the ball but also getting his own opportunities.”
The Ravens offense may not have a true No. 1, at least not in the way that Johnson has been the top dog in Houston. That doesn’t mean Smith’s description of his role is incorrect, though. He and a healthy Dennis Pitta can draw enough attention over the middle that Torrey Smith finds opportunities over the top while the opposite should also be true if defenses focus their attention in that direction.
