Thursday, August 2, 2012

Gailey: Brad Smith at WR 'will be a little while yet'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen are having a hard enough time performing like No. 2 quarterbacks, so the Bills are making sure their No. 3 is up to speed just in case.

All-purpose player Brad Smith, who will be listed as the Bills' third quarterback on game day because of his versatility, is reportedly working strictly at quarterback as of now despite the likeliness that he'll be used more as a returner, receiver, running back and option signal-caller.

"That will be a little while yet," Bills coach Chan Gailey told the media Wednesday after being asked when Smith would get some work with the receivers. "We want to keep giving him (practice at) quarterback. He will be the third quarterback going into the season so he has to know the offense to finish a game."

"We have to get him enough where he is comfortable, well as comfortable as he is going to get taking as many limited reps as he is taking. We have to get him that before we take him to receiver."

Two years ago, the then-Jets utility player Smith was arguably the NFL's best kick returner, taking two returns to the end zone and averaging an NFL-best (for players with more than 21 returns) 28.6 yards a return.

Three years before that, Smith made 32 receptions as a receiver and caught two touchdown passes. And as a first-year Bill, Smith made 23 receptions last season, including a 36-yard touchdown catch.

He's also rushed for a touchdown in each of the last three seasons.

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