Falcons sign FB Keith Smith to three-year extension

Don't tell the Atlanta Falcons the fullback is dead.

The Falcons signed fullback Keith Smith to a three-year extension Saturday. The financial details of the deal were undisclosed; Smith made under $1 million last season according to Spotrac.com.

Smith played 196 snaps for the Falcons last season, making five starts, both of which were career highs. He started his NFL playing days with the Dallas Cowboys, dressing for America's Team from 2014-17. After one year with the then Oakland Raiders in 2018, Smith joined the Falcons last offseason.

In 2019, he posted eight rushing yards on five attempts. While he averaged under 2.0 yards per carry, Smith rushed for four first downs with his eight attempts. He also had one catch for 13 yards.

The Falcons are likely keeping Smith, though, because of what they think he can do in run blocking. Smith is an old-school fullback in the sense that he's better deployed as a blocker than playmaker in space. Maybe if the Falcons use more traditional I-formation or two-back sets with Smith as a lead blocker this fall, the team will finish better than 30th in rushing, which was where they were last season.

Smith arrived in Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2014 out of San Jose State. In college, he actually played linebacker and then converted to a fullback role with the Cowboys.

During his six-year NFL career, Smith has 13 rushing yards on eight carries. He also has 14 receptions for 82 yards on 18 targets. Smith is still waiting to score his first NFL touchdown.