Brad Smith knows Saturday could be his final kick returns as a Jet, his final snaps out of the Wildcat as a Jet. His last game with Gang Green could be three days from now.
“It’s realistic,” Smith said, who is a free agent after this season.
If they beat the Colts, Smith’s stint with the Jets will continue for at least another week. And the team plans to re-sign him, so he could be back next year.
But his departure remains a possibility.
Smith, a Jet throughout his five-season career, said he “absolutely” wants to return to the Jets.
“There’s a lot of guys on this team with expiring contracts,” he said. “But it just makes you want to enjoy these guys a little bit more, knowing that it might be your last few games together. But just try to focus on the task at hand, though.”
Smith’s been a terror both this season overall and against the Colts in the past, and Saturday the valuable do-it-all will be needed again. How instrumental has Smith been this season? Consider that he has run for a touchdown, thrown for a touchdown and returned two kicks for a score.
Last year Smith also had a huge play in each of the Jets’ games against the Colts. In the regular season affair, he brought back a kick for a touchdown. Then in the second quarter of the AFC Championship game loss, Smith launched a 45-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery, setting up the Jets’ second touchdown to give them a 14-6 lead.
So considering Smith’s past success against the Colts, it’s worth wondering if he will have an expanded role on Saturday.
“I don’t know,” the 27-year-old said. “That’d be a better question for Coach Schotty. But just whatever role I’m asked to do, I’m going to just do it the best I can and try to make plays.”
Which is what he’s done this season. Asked to run the ball this year, Smith scampered for 299 yards, averaging a whopping 7.9 per carry, including a 53-yard TD against the Bengals on Thanksgiving (he also ran a kick back for a score in that one).
Asked to throw the ball, Smith tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Dustin Keller in Buffalo in Week 4. He also returned the opening kickoff against the Steelers in Week 15 for a touchdown.
Though the Jets will need every point they can get against Indianapolis, Smith insisted he isn’t putting more pressure on himself this week to bring another one back.
“It’s not a different approach,” he said. “It’s a consistent approach of trying to make a play each time we’re out there.”