Shi Smith

I am really excited about Shi. My wife taught him in the 7th grade, so she has a special interest in his success. I think he is legit showing out based on conversations I have had with one of the other WR's.

Someone also asked TRob if he would let Jam Williams play offense, and he replied "only if they let me have Shi on defense."

Shi has looked really good in practices - I just hope he is as good in games.

We've got a very decent group of WRs, enough so that we should have a legit five deep rotation and that's important.

We're still going to use a lot of two TE sets and probably even a two tight end sets that include KC in the slot which makes for three in reality.

So, anyways, while Shi has star potential ... if we ever look down and see us having to go-to him too much, especially early in the season, then we've got problems.

Our strength, the way we'll win early, is to be able to run the ball. If we don't run the ball with authority early and often then we're in trouble.

With that said, I think we will have a decent passing game but it's gonna take awhile for it to really start clicking. Freshmen WRs typically are in for a bit of a shock once thrown into live games against motivated opponents who are not giving them teammate privileges. Shi is a little undersized and from what I've seen so far he has to rely more on quickness and speed to get off the line than really superior WRs do ... guys like Ellington and Deebo and Sidney. Those guys could juke you on the line and then get past you ... but they were also very good at not allowing themselves to be manhandled. Shi is not quite there yet. He gets bumped hard sometimes and it throws his timing off, especially on the outside routes which is why they're using him almost exclusively inside. But he does have really good hands and he is definitely fearless and I will say this ... he's got some really good moves after the catch. Gosh I just hope he finds ways to be where he is supposed to be and I hope his propensity to take unnecessary licks at times doesn't cost him. Fingers crossed.

We've got more WRs than just Deebo, Brian Edwards, Shi and OrTre though and one or two of those could really come out of nowhere and surprise us all. Dawkins, Davis and Googer will contribute. We really need two of those three guys to contribute in a big way. Shi is a little fragile ... take that FWIW. Here's to hoping he's as resilient and as big time as we all hope. Kid sure has skills. He's gonna be incredible at 200 lbs. When you see him for the first time do not be surprised at his height. I know everyone keeps trying to push him as close to 6' ... but he's not. When Jam and he line-up face to face they look the same height. He maybe goes 5'9" and a buck-seventy. I mean he uses what body he has very well but still ... he's gonna see some big physical corners in his face.

I'm a shite, I know, for tamping-down all the Shi talk ... he's got guts, his teammates love him, let's see how it plays out. He's gonna be really good I think and no one would love to see him come outta the box with a 10 catch 100 yard game more than I. But our real weapons are Edwards, Deebo and Hurst - KC as well. Anything we get out of any of the other six WRs and TEs ... that's gotta be considered gravy through the first six games.