L.J. Smith and Reggie Brown: Biggest Busts of the Andy Reid Era

There have been many questionable draft decisions of the Andy Reid era. Freddie Mitchell, Winston Justice, Kevin Kolb, and trading the last two first-round picks, just to name a few. But the two who stand out the most have to be LJ Smith and Reggie Brown.

L.J. Smith was the "Tight End of the future" when he was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft out of Rutgers University. His career didn't get off to a great start when he dropped what could have been a game altering touchdown in his first NFL game.

He picked up his game later in the season and finished with 27 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown.

Smith spent the following season splitting time with veteran Chad Lewis. Smith showed signs of improvement and flashed his playmaking ability at times. He caught the first touchdown of Super Bowl 39, but followed it up with a drive killing fumble minutes later and squandered any hopes of an Eagles win with a drop that ended up in a Rodney Harrison interception.

The following two seasons were Smith's best as an Eagle. He caught eight touchdowns over those two years and totaled 1,293 yards. Smith entered the 2007 as a Pro Bowl hopeful, but injuries ruined his season. He caught just 22 passes and scored only one touchdown, plus he really struggled catching the ball.

All signs pointed upwards going into 2008.

But 2008 was no better. Smith's catching problems continued and he was very ineffective. He eventually lost his starting job in the playoffs to the up and coming Brent Celek. I would be very surprised to see L.J Smith wearing an Eagles jersey in 2009 now that he is a free agent.

Reggie Brown was looked at as an alternative to Terrell Owens when the Eagles drafted him 33rd overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. Head coach Andy Reid told reporters that he would not be a replacement for Terrell and that they shouldn't expect him to be a No. 1 threat.

But when Reggie was asked to step in when Owens was dismissed from the team, he made an immediate impact and showed all the signs of a future star. His rookie year was filled with big plays, highlighted by a 56-yard touchdown reception against the Redskins the week after Owens was kicked off the team.

Brown finished his rookie season with 43 receptions for 571 yards for four touchdowns, three coming against the Redskins. It seemed as if the Eagles had found a hidden gem in the young Brown.

In 2006, Reggie flourished alongside Donte' Stallworth. He caught 60 balls for 816 yards and eight touchdowns. Solid stats for a second year pro, yeah? His big-play ability was obvious his leaping ability phenomenal and he looked to follow his stellar 2006 season with a dominant 2007.

However, Reggie struggled to start the season. It became evident that he lost interest in the game if he didn't get the ball early on—seriously, that's disgraceful. He dropped many catchable balls throughout the season and it became a problem as the season wore on.

While Brown came alive late in the season, many questions arose about his heart and most of all, his ability.

Reggie certainly didn't answer those question in 2008.

Brown was placed on the inactive list eight times in 2008 and to throw more salt on the wound, he was again inactive for the NFC Championship this past Sunday. Brown caught just 18 passes for 252 yards and one touchdown on the year.

Like L.J. Smith, I would be very surprised to see Reggie Brown in an Eagles uniform come opening day 2009. I had high hopes for both of them coming into this season and both were total disappointments.

Both flashed their ability early in their careers, but they never really improved. If anything, they got worse. They gotta go.