Tight end Alex Smith has caught 129 passes for 1,252 yards and 11 touchdowns in his four NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As good as those numbers have been, the former third-round pick believes that he hasn't "met his potential." The 6-4, 258-pound Smith signed a one-year deal with the Eagles on Tuesday. The Eagles released tight end Tony Curtis to make room for Smith on the roster.

"I would say (my career is) a work in progress," said Smith, a 2005 draft choice out of Stanford. "By no means do I feel like I've met my potential. I don't ever like to make excuses for why that is. Every year I continue to try and get better. This is a very big year for me. I've been blessed to have this opportunity. I think I can take full advantage."

One of the reasons for that is the Eagles' stability at quarterback. Donovan McNabb has been the starter since the end of the 1999 season. In Tampa Bay, Smith worked with six different starting quarterbacks.

"To have that constant rotation and never having chemistry with a quarterback, it speaks volumes when you don't have that chemistry, when you guys aren't always on the same page," Smith said.

Smith's tenure in Tampa Bay ended when he was traded in April to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round pick in 2010. It was around that time when, Smith said, that he had his ankle scoped. The Patriots had a bevy of tight ends in their training camp and Smith was released in the final roster cutdown. Smith acknowledged that he didn't feel completely healthy from the ankle surgery until there were two weeks left in training camp.

"I might have been a little behind the 8-ball just trying to catch up to the guys and get a hold of that offense," Smith said. "I have no ill feelings. For whatever reason, it didn't work out as planned. They've moved on in their direction and now I'm here with the Eagles."

The Eagles have two tight ends on the roster in Smith and starter Brent Celek. A third tight end, Rob Myers, is on the team's practice squad. Even though Smith wasn't in camp with the Eagles, his familiarity with the West Coast offense from his time in Tampa Bay should make his transition a smooth one.

"(Coach Andy Reid) doesn't see any problems throwing me in the mix and getting things done," Smith said.

If Smith's reputation has been altered by moving on to his third team in such a short amount of time, he is confident that it can be reversed very quickly.

"I think it's just more important for me to just get out there and play," Smith said. "I think the rest will take care of itself. Once I'm back out there making plays, everything from the last six months will be forgotten."