Ravens coach: Steve Smith quickly impressive

Steve Smith may be old but he still can play. (USATSI)

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Steve Smith might be 35, and perhaps the Panthers didn't think he was worth the distractions or the $7 million salary in 2014. So while his 13-year career in Carolina is over, he's found a home in Baltimore, where outspoken veteran players are not only embraced, they usually thrive.

We saw it with Derrick Mason, we saw it with Anquan Boldin, and we'll almost certainly see it with Smith. Yes, we're still six weeks away from training camp, but Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has been impressed with Smith during OTAs.

“Steve Smith, I could use some adjectives,” Pees said, via the Carroll County Times' Matt Zenitz. “He's a pain in a good way. … The guy's a heck of a player. He's made some grabs out here. He's a tough guy. He's everything advertised. I'm glad he's on our team.”

Smith can also hold a grudge and turn it into motivation. Back in March, shortly after the Panthers released Smith, Carolina coach Ron Rivera said the wide receiver no longer had "top-end speed."

And maybe that's so. But Smith remains singularly focused on proving doubters wrong and that's something you can't measure with a stopwatch.

"He's just so competitive. He brings an edge to practice to all the time," said first-year Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. "He challenges people as far as how you play and how you go about doing things. He challenges coaches, too. And every good offense I've been around, I've had a few of those guys saying, ‘Get me the ball, coach,' and that's a good thing. That's what you want. But he works to get the ball, so that's what's impressive to me.”

And to think, Smith said that if the Panthers hadn't released him, he would have probably retired after the 2014 season, one of his least productive as a pro. Now Carolina will have to deal with Smith and that bigger-than-usual chip on his shoulder when he and the Ravens come to town in Week 4.

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Cowboys QB Tony Romo, Giants QB Eli Manning say they are ready to play



Two NFC East quarterbacks are recovering from surgery. Or rather, they have just about recovered from surgery.Cowboys QB Tony Romo told the team's official website he expects to be 100 percent in the next couple of weeks, but also said he could play in a game today "if I had to." Romo went under the knife in December to fix a herniated disk in his back.Giants quarterback Eli Manning did proclaim himself to be 100 percent two months departed from arthroscopic ankle surgery, and also said he could play in a game right now. Well, not exactly right now, but tomorrow."The ankle, I don't think about it, don't notice it," Manning told the New York Daily News. "I go about practice and do everything and they're not even worried about it. So, it hasn't been an issue. No question I could play tomorrow."Manning said he has taken his usual amount of reps during OTAs. Romo hasn't been involved in team drills at Cowboys OTAs, instead taking part in individual position drills.



Manning can't possibly be as bad as he was last year. Some of it wasn't his fault as injuries really took their toll on the Giants. They have brought in Rashad Jennings to help the running game, and the receiving corps is stocked with a bunch of high-upside youngsters such as rookie Odell Beckham, Jerrel Jernigan, and Rueben Randle. The team is installing a new offense, something Manning said he's "not 100 percent comfortable with" at the moment, but that will come with time. If good health prevails and those wideouts grow up quickly, Manning can post another 4,000-yard season with a touchdown total in the high-20s.However, I'd rather own Romo if forced to choose. His injury is more concerning than Manning's, but I'm going to assume it doesn't lead to some sort of rapid downfall for the 34-year-old. Romo has the best receiver among the two teams in Dez Bryant, stellar second and third options in Terrance Williams and tight end Jason Witten, and a play-caller in Scott Linehan who will throw, throw, throw. The Giants' offense has many more question marks.