Brad Smith Does Not Like New Kickoff Rules

In a not so surprising development, Brad Smith is not a fan of kickoffs taking place at the 35 yard line.

Jets kick returner Brad Smith told Sirius XM's Mad Dog Radio that he is "disappointed" with the NFL's rule changes for kickoffs, as voted on by team owners at the league meetings in New Orleans this week.

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"It just really changes the whole dynamic of a game, one of the most important plays in football," Smith said in a spot on Sirius today. "So there’s going to be a lot of coaches that spend a lot of time trying to figure it out."

I think there is another factor at play driving Brad's opposition. Moving the kickoffs up to the 35 yard line will create more touchbacks. That makes kick returners less valuable. That is not a good development for a free agent who derives a lot of his value as a kick returner.