Robaire Smith Medically Cleared to Play Again

by Chris Pokorny on Mar 14, 2011 11:00 PM EDT in General News

Even if he does not return as a member of the Cleveland Browns next season, it is good news to hear that free agent defensive end Robaire Smith has been medically cleared to return to the NFL in 2011. Smith always seemed to be a forgotten piece of the Browns' defense, perhaps because he missed so much time to injury. He did not play the last 11 games last season due to a spinal injury.

Let's assume that Smith's health is not a concern. If that is the case, I would be 100% behind bringing him back next season, as he would be a veteran presence to fill a major hole on the defensive line. I'll get more into this when I do my free agency preview over the next couple of weeks, but Smith has enough experience playing in a 4-3 system and is the all-around effective player who can be counted upon to do his job. I think having Smith and Fujita on the same side would be a solid veteran pair, just like it was the first half of the 2010 campaign in the 3-4 defense.

At the scouting combine in February, general manager Tom Heckert said the team would be interested in retaining Smith depending on the results of his medical evaluation.

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Good news even if he doesn’t come back to the brown & orange. He’s a good player who doesn’t seem to have much of an ego and I hope he excels no matter where he plays (except for any games he might play against us. ha).

by acousticswk on Mar 15, 2011 3:43 AM EDT reply actions

Well, Robaire Smith is a remnant of the Dawgs D-line. Overlooked is right. I also declare that e´er the egotist mooncamping officially declares that he will be drafting for the 3-4 and a two-back set. So in that schematic, I move Robaire Smith to Nose Guard and Ahtyba Rubin to Defensive Tackle. I still advise Eric Wright to Free Safety and of course Abe Elam stays the Strong Safety, Joe Haden is the most pricey Nickel Back in NFL history. So, indeed, we need a defensive tackle, Dareus would be fine, although I prefer Clayborn or Austin. Four linebackers, not behemoth linesmackers like we have now, and yes I guess, two cornerbacks, the tall Patrick Peterson is right down my alley for that position, so if we trade up to nab him as well, that´s another need filled. Leaves four linebackers and one cornerback, plus a center, because Mack is still a guard, and maybe a tailback, the kind that can utilize Peyton Hillis´s blocking skills, in case Hardesty does not recover.

by mooncamping on Mar 15, 2011 3:04 PM EDT reply actions

I like Robaire. Hope he’s okay to play and isn’t risking debilitating injury coming back.

Dawgs by Nature -- where Mike Holmgren, apparently, 'did some good things'.

by golanbatrac on Mar 16, 2011 6:13 PM EDT reply actions

He wasn’t that good. Hard to imagine him being effective now. We’re so thin at D-line though, he’ll likely play. I don’t see how we not take a D-lineman with our first pick, whether we trade down or not.

by 24rubikscube on Mar 16, 2011 6:33 PM EDT reply actions