Steve Smith Is a Perfect Fit for Philadelphia Eagles' Dream Team in 2011

The Philadelphia Eagles signed former New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith on Wednesday, adding to the plethora of young wide receivers already at quarterback Michael Vick's disposal. Smith underwent knee surgery last December and likely won't be 100 percent come time for Philadelphia's regular season opener in St. Louis.

In other wide out news, No. 1 wide receiver DeSean Jackson ended his holdout earlier this week and will return to Eagles practice this weekend. He will likely be dressed for the team's second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, like Jackson, will also miss Thursday night's preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. Maclin's reason for being absent is much more serious, however.

According to Philly.com's Jeff McLane, Maclin has returned to St. Louis, his hometown, to receive more testing as the team attempts to identify an unknown illness that has sidelined the young player. Maclin, who is a speedster in the slot position for Philadelphia and a superb complement to game-breaker DeSean Jackson, may not be able to contribute this season if the illness proves to be serious.

That's why the Steve Smith signing makes sense.

Smith is a proven talent in the slot and, when healthy, can give defenses fits while putting up big numbers. And if Maclin does turn out to be okay, is there really such thing as having too many offensive weapons?

Worst case scenario, the Eagles part with Smith at the end of the season; he only signed a one-year contract.

Jackson will be the Eagles' main man in 2011, but Smith has a more than capable resume to suggest he could provide a worthy sidekick effort this season.

Smith had a breakout season in 2009 with Eli Manning and the Giants, catching 107 balls for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns. A late-season injury and a struggling New York offense brought Smith back down to earth in 2010, but his experience and presence on the roster will provide Philly with even more depth on the offensive side.

Injuries are unavoidable and are a huge part of football, so having another quality and proven wide receiver makes cutting the roster down to size that much easier.

The Eagles defensive additions are certainly important, but don't underestimate a signing like Steve Smith—especially after a guy similar to Smith, Jordy Nelson, proved to be one of the Super Bowl champions' biggest assets in the postseason a year ago.

Patrick Clarke is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow on Twitter @_Pat_Clarke