Baltimore Ravens: Steve Smith Sr. Announcement Brings Hope to 2016 Season
By Joe Serpico
The Baltimore Ravens got a huge boost for the 2016 season when Steve Smith Sr. announced he is coming back for one more year.
Finally, some good news coming from the Baltimore Ravens. Their top offensive weapon will lace up his shoes for one more NFL season.
Seeing Steve Smith Sr. laying on the turf in visible pain was one of the worst sights of this disastrous season. He was having his best year yet for the Ravens, but a torn Achilles tendon against the San Diego Chargers abruptly ended his season.
For weeks there has been speculation whether or not Smith would come back for one more season or exit the game following a season-ending injury. Everyone knows what kind of competitor Smith is and few envisioned that the final time we would see him on the field would be with the assistance of trainers. He made the return official with this post on his Twitter account:
https://twitter.com/89stevesmith/status/682245818913435651
Smith has previously said he has done it all in the league, but there is still more he can accomplish. He is 73 yards away from re-entering the top-10 in career receiving yards and 39 receptions away from 1,000 receptions for his career. It’s possible for him to enter the top-10 in that category as well, depending on the futures of Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten, Anquan Boldin and Andre Johnson.
Call me crazy, but the ultimate surprise is still in reach as well. There is much to anticipate in 2016 and the return of the Ravens injured stars will make them relevant again. The Ravens long list of players on injured reserve might serve as a blessing next season. Young players such as Kamar Aiken and Jeremy Butler have taken advantage of the added playing time. Aiken has showed that he is capable of being a key contributor on offense and with Smith and first-round pick Breshad Perriman, the Ravens will have some playmakers at receivers.
Very few expect that this team will have another season like this one again next year. That had to factor into Smith’s decision. The Ravens were on the cusp of beating the New England Patriots in last season’s playoffs. They are capable of turning it around and getting back to the postseason next season.
Next: Ravens Could Decide Bengals Playoff Fate
This is just the first part of what we hope is a much better 2016. Opponents of the 2016 season, Smith is coming back to take your lunch money.