2024 Cardinals roster preview: WR Jeff Smith

The Arizona Cardinals will open training camp July 23 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team.

Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2023, questions they face and their roster outlook.

Next up is receiver Jeff Smith.

Background

Smith enters his sixth NFL season and second with the Cardinals. He has four credited seasons in the NFL. He signed with the New York Jets as a rookie free agent in 2019 after playing four seasons at Boston College. He played in one game in 2019 and then played three more seasons for the Jets, appearing in 36 games, starting seven. Over those four seasons, he had 34 catches for 426 yards.

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He signed with the New York Giants last offseason but was waived with an injury in August. The Cardinals signed him to the practice squad in September. He got hurt, was placed on practice squad injured reserve, received an injury settlement and re-signed to the practice squad in December. He re-signed with the Cardinals on a futures deal in January.

2023 stats

Smith did not play in an NFL game last season, spending most of the season on Arizona's practice squad.

2024 contract details, cap hit

Smith has a one-year contract worth $1.055 million with no guarantees. His cap hit is equal to his salary.

Questions he faces

Can Smith overcome his history of injuries over the last year?

Can he prove to have value in a different scheme than the one he played in for the Jets for four seasons?

Will he be able compete with more established veterans on the roster and the youngsters they have added?

2024 roster outlook

Smith is considered a longshot for the roster. He doesn't have the special teams experience that Zach Pascal or Chris Moore have and doesn't have the potential that rookies Tejhaun Palmer and Xavier Weaver have. At best, he can find a spot on the practice squad, but even that seems like it will be difficult.

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