PHILADELPHIA — The loss of Steve Smith to the Philadelphia Eagles has been evident for the Giants this season in everything from the play of Eli Manning to the comments of the offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride. Smith, however, does not seem to share the Giants’ sense of longing.
“I’m over that,” Smith said of his time with the Giants. “I’m an Eagle now, and I’m just excited about now.”
Smith signed with the Eagles in August after Philadelphia’s front office made a strong play to acquire him. Smith, who was coming off microfracture surgery on his left knee, signed a one-year deal with the Eagles.
Smith had been Manning’s most reliable target in his time with the Giants, who drafted him in the second round in 2007. He was a Pro Bowl receiver, finishing with a franchise-record 107 receptions in 2009. Still, the Giants did not seem to share the Eagles’ more optimistic view on the timetable for his return from the knee injury.
On Wednesday, Smith, who professed respect for the organization, played down the idea that there was any added significance playing the Giants.
“What do I got to prove?” Smith said. “The know exactly what I can do. I’ve proved a lot in that uniform. It’s time to prove something in this uniform.”
Smith has recovered faster than the Eagles had anticipated, although he has only recently started to be integrated into their offense. He was in for five plays and had no receptions in the a win over the St. Louis Rams in Week 1, and he had two receptions for 29 yards in the team’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday.
The Giants, meanwhile, have missed Smith’s reliability in the slot. The team has looked to various options to replace him, though no one has emerged. That has left Gilbride and others commenting on how much they miss Smith’s presence, which Smith has noticed.
“Me and him had a great relationship,” Smith said of Gilbride, adding that he was still “good buddies” with the Giants’ receivers. “It makes you feel good inside.”
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