EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Seven-year veteran safety Dwight Smith has been released by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent two seasons with the Vikings and becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Smith had four interceptions each year in Minnesota, including a 93-yard touchdown last November against the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
He had some disagreements with the coaching staff, though. He was also in the news a couple of times for off-the-field incidents. Coach Brad Childress says the Vikings are "going in a different direction."
Two of Minnesota's backup safeties, Mike Doss and Tank Williams, will also become free agents next week.
UK Skins Fan wrote:You think so? Personally, I'd give Doughty a chance. He came on leaps and bounds towards the end of the year.
The only thing that concerns me about Doughty is his lack of speed. He ran a 4.65 at the combine, which was only slightly faster than his 4.69 he posted in college. Not very impressive for a DB.
I don't see Doughty being anything more than a special teamer for the majority of his career. He played OKAY last year. Nothing spectacular, but he did what he had to do.
UK Skins Fan wrote:You think so? Personally, I'd give Doughty a chance. He came on leaps and bounds towards the end of the year.
The only thing that concerns me about Doughty is his lack of speed. He ran a 4.65 at the combine, which was only slightly faster than his 4.69 he posted in college. Not very impressive for a DB.
What was Pat Fisher's timed speed? Doughty excelled in agility drills (3 cone & short shuttle) at the combine.
Skins fan since '55
"The constitution is not a suicide pact"- Abraham Lincoln
UK Skins Fan wrote:You think so? Personally, I'd give Doughty a chance. He came on leaps and bounds towards the end of the year.
The only thing that concerns me about Doughty is his lack of speed. He ran a 4.65 at the combine, which was only slightly faster than his 4.69 he posted in college. Not very impressive for a DB.
What was Pat Fisher's timed speed? Doughty excelled in agility drills (3 cone & short shuttle) at the combine.
Lacks a fluid backpedal as well as the ability to immediately change direction. Not efficient, takes a lot of missteps or incorrect angles to the action.
I don't care if he can run around cones, he can't keep up with more than 75% of the receivers out there. That's a concern for a DB and most likely why he was passed up until the sixth round. Don't get me wrong, I like Reed and believe he's stepped up, but he still lacks speed in the secondary, as he was beat several times last year. But that doesn't mean I want Dwight Smith either.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -The Detroit Lions signed free agent safety Dwight Smith to a two-year contract on Wednesday.
The 5-foot-10, 201-pound Smith played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2001-2004, setting a Super Bowl record in 2002 by returning two interceptions for touchdowns. He played for the New Orleans Saints in 2005 and spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
In 106 games (75 starts), Smith has 22 interceptions and 464 tackles. He had four interceptions each of the past two seasons.
