The 2007 season was a frustrating one for tight end L.J. Smith, who missed six games due to groin and knee injuries.

Even when he was on the field, the injuries seemed to hamper his production. It was reflected in his numbers as he finished the year with just 22 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown.

Smith's injury-plagued campaign handcuffed the offense at times, particularly in the red zone where the former Rutgers product has produced all 16 of his career touchdowns.

The team missed Smith's size and his play-making ability, both down the middle of the field and in the red zone. The Eagles' struggles in the red zone were well-documented last season. In 51 trips, the Eagles converted 23 of those opportunities into touchdowns for a 45.1 percent conversion rate that ranked 24th in the NFL.

Smith missed the June OTAs (Organized Team Activities) after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia. He returned for training camp only to suffer a setback that sidelined him for much of camp and the entire preseason. He suited up for the season opener at Green Bay and the following week against Washington, recording a total of four catches for 26 yards.

Smith missed three of the next four games after having follow-up surgery to repair scar tissue in his groin. Smith put together three decent games in the month of November. At Washington on Nov. 11, he caught a season-high four balls for 49 yards, including an eight-yard scoring strike from Donovan McNabb. Smith was on the receiving end of four passes the next week as well, as the Eagles knocked off Miami. Against New England, Smith accounted for 46 yards with three catches.

Smith saw action in two more games before missing the final three games with a knee injury he sustained in the loss to the Giants on Dec. 9.

When healthy, the 6-foot-3, 258-pound Smith gives Philadelphia a player they can move around the formation and get into favorable matchups against smaller defensive backs or slower linebackers. At his best, Smith is a player who commands respect in the middle of the field. He couldn't do that last year with all of his injuries. He tried to get on the field, but did not have the burst at all. It was obvious.

The Eagles had a dropoff in production from the tight end position for much of 2007 and part of that was due to Smith and his situation. In 2007, Smith, Matt Schobel and Brent Celek had 49 catches, 521 yards and three touchdowns. In 2006, Smith and Schobel combined for 64 receptions for 825 yards and seven touchdowns.

A complete tight end, Smith can make plays in the passing game and he has shown he can block in the running game. Perhaps most importantly, he has the trust of his quarterback.

Smith has put together a nice resume in his five seasons in Philadelphia, with 194 receptions for 2,227 yards and 15 touchdowns in 73 games. His best season came in 2005 when he logged 61 catches. In 2006 he caught nine passes of 20 yards or more.

Smith was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent last week; however the team placed the franchise tag on him Feb. 7. With that, Smith should have a chance to re-establish himself as a weapon in this offense in 2008.

- BOB KENT 

NOTE: PhiladelphiaEagles.com will not profile players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.