Brandon Smith has never been this close before. The Iowa product has never known the joys of making it past cutdown day in August.
That may be changing in his second run with the New York Jets.
Originally an undrafted free agent, Smith has bounced around on NFL practice squads with the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals, along with Spring leagues like the XFL and UFL. Through it all, he has hoped to finally get the chance to earn a spot on a team’s roster going into Week 1.
The New York Jets were pleased to give Smith a shot to earn that role this offseason. To the 26-year-old’s credit, he has more than shown his worth as a potential key player on the team’s 2025 roster.
All he has left to do is wait.
Brandon Smith sounds off on chances
While he has never caught a pass in an NFL game, Smith has appeared in a single contest. Last year, he was activated off the practice squad and appeared in one play during the Jets’ Week 15 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He wants more, though.
Speaking to Jets X-Factor after the final preseason game Friday night, Smith made it clear that his goals continue to be to experience the joy of knowing he is on a team’s roster going into a new season.
“Just pedal to the metal like I’ve been doing my whole career,” Smith said. “Whether I have an up or down, just keep going forward.”
Most undrafted free agents look for one shot to prove they belong in the NFL. Sometimes it takes a few years for those kinds of players to excel. For Smith, that breakout happened this preseason.
Whether it was his consistent hands and route-running in camp, or the 10 catches for 113 yards he recorded in three preseason games, Smith proved to be a reliable receiver in New York’s offense.
So much so that head coach Aaron Glenn took notice.
“Well B-Smitty (Smith), he’s been doing that since OTAs also,” Glenn said. “You know, it’s nothing new, and that’s one guy that I probably haven’t talked about enough. But man, I like where he’s at, and he’s steadily improving on a daily basis. So, listen, it’s good when your younger guys are showing up because now it pushes the older guys that they got to get going, because this is going to be a team of the best of the guys are going to be here and the guys that fit us.”
One of Smith’s calling cards as a receiver has been his sure-handedness. It is rare to see the veteran UDFA drop the ball, both in practice and in games. That kind of consistency is welcome on a roster that was one of the more drop-heavy teams in the sport last season.
“Just seeing the ball in,” Smith said. “The basic fundamentals. My receiver coach always says, you don’t catch with your hands, you catch it with your eyes.”
Even with a great preseason, Smith’s standing on the Jets roster is not guaranteed. He is competing in an open room with veterans like Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson considered “locks” to make the team. Current UDFAs like Quentin Skinner and Jamaal Pritchett are also vying for a spot on the team.
He may not have the same speed as Skinner, or the shiftiness of Pritchett, but Smith’s consistency is what has set him apart throughout camp.
The belief is that it will be enough to make the final roster.
“I hope so,” Smith said. “I’ve had good preseasons before, and I never made the roster. I’ve never made the (final) roster in my career.
“So it’s just a waiting game for me.”
During the preseason, Smith finished first on the team in receptions. He also came second in yards and targets. Those numbers alone could be enough to get him onto the roster.
There’s a long way to go before that announcement comes, though.
For Smith, that just means more waiting around for potentially the best news of his life. At the very least, the Jets should be thrilled with how the former Dallas Cowboy and Arizona Cardinal performed over the last month.