Justin Smiley Happy To Be An Oakland Raider:

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Aug 3, 2011 9:26 PM PDT

I just had a chance to chat with Justin Smiley as he signed some paperwork here in Napa and he is ecstatic to be in Oakland. He is happy for the chance to prove that he deserves to be here and he is NOT DONE YET.

He sees himself as a bully in this offense and that is just what we are looking for.

The last couple of years have been tough for this hard nosed offensive guard. He had a shoulder injury that ended his 2009 season in Miami and then missed time with Jacksonville due to an ankle injury.

Last week he was unceremoniously released by the hapless Jaguars. In our conversation he did not say a bad thing about the Jags or how they released him, he just really wants to get after it and prove the naysayers wrong.

For those of you who know about his career with the Forty Niners you know that he was a force in the running game who opened holes for Frank Gore during Gore's good years. He was a head cracker who could get to the second level and lay people out. This is exactly what Oakland will need to execute the Hue Jackson and Al Saunders offense.

Oakland Raider NATION! Join me in welcoming Justin Smiley to our team. He is happy to be a Raider and he is ready to get after it!

Cheers,

- Saint

Tweet Comment 6 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good signing

I like that we are getting decent linemen in free agency for bargain prices and then let them battle with the guys that are already on the roster to give us a better chance of getting the best possible starting offensive line we can get with our current salary issues. The more guys there are the more guys work harder and get better because they want to start and they know it won’t be handed to them. Smiley and Heyer could turn out to be really smart pickups.

by duballers23 on Aug 3, 2011 9:48 PM PDT reply actions

Welcome to the Nation, Justin! The good news is that your blocks will be rewarded by our exceptionally gifted RBs

and if you prove yourself to be a tough, take no prisoners give no mercy, type of player, the Nation will embrace you and sing your praises. But, as willing and generous as we are to love our good players, we can be ruthless to any who would dawn the S&B without playing to its storied standard.

S-O-B: ITS HOW I ROLL, DEAL WITH IT.
"I made a trade for Seymour. ..I thought it was a great trade. Still do. [Al Davis 1/2011]
Patience advances a man to better times.

by Sons-of-Blanda on Aug 3, 2011 9:56 PM PDT reply actions

His eyes lit up when we spoke of the backs in the backfield:

When I mentioned this offense to him and getting to the second level, he lit up and said, “That’s what I do”

It is all about coming together as a team. At the end of the day, the team is all we have. - T. Branch 10-14-09

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Aug 3, 2011 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Welcome aboard, Justin!

Now go smack some fools in the mouth. It’s cool, Hue goes in for that type of stuff in practice. And we got odds on who starts the first fight with Lamarr! Or who causes Lamarr to start the first one!

Good to have you on board, sir. Saw Lamaak respond how fun it is to block for McFadden the other day.

"tough times call for perseverance and a tough mind. I have been told that I can't play football before. We all know what happened with that. #neverquit"--Mark Herzlich

""The massive Raider Nation is beyond doubt the sleaziest and rudest and most sinister mob of thugs and wackos ever assembled."--Hunter S. Thompson

by brhynno on Aug 3, 2011 10:05 PM PDT reply actions

From what we saw, nobody that he was lined up against:

That D-Line will be eating this year for sure!

It is all about coming together as a team. At the end of the day, the team is all we have. - T. Branch 10-14-09

by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Aug 3, 2011 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Definitely

We haven’t even been mentioning much about Scott, Bryant, or Henderson either. They are going to be a damn good unit for us. It used to be our weakest link, and now it is looking like one of the best if not the best in the NFL.

by duballers23 on Aug 3, 2011 10:18 PM PDT up reply actions