San Francisco 49ers: Expectations For Torrey Smith

By Joel Childers | Jul 19, 2015

Only two years removed from when he was a part of the Baltimore Ravens team that beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, wide receiver Torrey Smith is now making his home in San Francisco. He joins a 49ers squad that is going to see a large number of offensive changes this season, and looks to be a big part of the team’s gameplan. His big-play ability can be huge for opening up an offense’s playbook, but his skill set may not fit perfectly around his teammates in California.

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The 49ers know they are going to have to make some offensive changes this year. San Francisco’s all-time rushing leader Frank Gore is now with the Indianapolis Colts, and former top-10 pick receiver Michael Crabtree has left for the Oakland Raiders. The team has a new head coach and a new offensive coordinator, and things will certainly look different in 2015.

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The 49ers signed Torrey Smith this offseason in an attempt to fill the hole left by Crabtree and provide quarterback Colin Kaepernick with a new weapon. Kaepernick is looking to solidify his spot as one of the league’s top quarterbacks, but has been unable to place himself in the ‘elite’ category during his two full years as a starter. He’s hoping Smith can help him do that.

Smith caught 13 passes for 20 yards or more in 2014, 5 of them going for touchdowns. He’s got the speed needed to make big plays, he just needs a quarterback to get him the ball. He managed only 767 yards last year while playing with quarterback Joe Flacco, but is excited to now play with Kaepernick (via Joe Fann of 49ers.com):

"“Joe (Flacco) has a great arm, probably the strongest arm in the league, but Kap’s is something different with that velocity,” Smith said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s something different.”"

Smith went on to tell reporters about an outstanding deep throw Kaepernick made to him in a practice that would have gone for a touchdown in a game. Kaepernick’s arm strength could be huge for Smith’s production, and if coupled with proper accuracy it could mean big things for the 49ers.

Smith will have to compete for receptions, however, as he’s got two excellent receiving weapons in Vernon Davis and Anquan Boldin lining up alongside him. Davis may be on the decline, after totaling under 300 yards last year for the first time since his rookie year in 2006, but Boldin’s career has already been successful in San Francisco, topping 1,000 yards in both his seasons with the 49ers.

Oct 6, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) makes a catch in front of Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes (21) during the second half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Both of these players have some big question marks, as it is unclear if Davis’s injuries will cause him to continue to struggle, and Boldin is likely to soon see a dip in production at age 34.

He and Smith already have some chemistry, however, and the two of them may compliment each other well. Their combined talents helped propel the 2012 Ravens to a Super Bowl victory, and they hope to do the same in San Francisco. The players seem excited to play together again:

"“It’ll be cool, man,” Boldin said of being reunited with Smith (per Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports). “Me and Torrey had a great relationship in Baltimore. We continue to be friends off the field. I definitely have done some recruiting. It’ll be cool having a guy like Torrey back on the field. He’s a guy that can take the top off. It will help us out tremendously.”"

Smith should be able to fill any hole left by the Crabtree departure, and could even add a whole new wrinkle to his team’s offense. He’s still young, and after only four years in the league it’s likely that his best years are still ahead of him, and likely to come in San Francisco.

He’s struggled with drops at several points in his career, and a change of scenery could be perfect in terms of helping him get his focus in the right place.

He’s not a possession receiver, or one likely to pick up a lot of yards on underneath routes, so complementing him with Davis and Boldin could be a huge boost.

This could also be a chance for him to develop some more versatile skills, as he may now face more situations in which he is the No. 1 option, where he was often No. 2 or 3 in Baltimore.

Ultimately, Smith coming to San Francisco should be huge for both he and the team. It remains to be seen how exactly new offensive coordinator Geep Chryst will use him and how his quarterback will progress, but if things go as planned Smith could be in for the best year of his career. He will need to work hard to rebound from a disappointing 2014 campaign, but he’s got the skills to do so.

His reliance on big plays makes him a high-ceiling/high-floor type of player, but I have faith that the changes in San Francisco this offseason will spell good things for the team and for Smith. He should be the team’s leading receiver as he not only makes plenty of big plays, but also develops into a more well-rounded pass-catcher.

2015 Predictions For Torrey Smith:

70 Receptions, 1,300 yards, 10 touchdowns

Next: What Went Wrong For Kaepernick?

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