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On To The Next One: Andre Smith – SPORTS AGENT BLOG
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On To The Next One: Andre Smith

Jul 31, 2011; Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith (71) warms up during training camp at Georgetown College. Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE
Jul 31, 2011; Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith (71) warms up during training camp at Georgetown College. Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE

Unless you are a Cincinnati Bengals fan, a long-time reader of this site or a die-hard NFL fan, you may not know the name Andre Smith.  He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 6th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and signed a suave 6-year, $42 million contract.

He is also the player who went through agents like it was nobody’s business.  Smith was first represented by DeBartolo Sports, then Alvin Keels, then Priority Sports, before re-signing with Alvin Keels.  Priority Sports was pretty pissed (understandably so) about losing him.

But maybe it was best that Priority Sports did not have to deal with Smith for an extended period of time.  I say that because Andre Smith is now on to yet another agent.  He has hired Creative Artists Agency, and the company seems to be pretty enthused about it.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/CAA_Football/status/268776132369842177″]

Why is CAA excited?  Because the company will soon be negotiating Smith’s new deal (which means immediate commissions).

While Smith signed a 6-year deal, the Bengals have voided the final two years of that contract, making him a free agent as of this upcoming off-season.  The right tackle has not lived up to his expectations in Cincinnati, but that does not mean another team will refuse to take a chance on him in the future.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner created Sports Agent Blog as a New Year's Resolution on December 31, 2005. Originally titled, "I Want To Be A Sports Agent," the website was founded with the intention of causing Heitner to learn more about the profession that he wanted to join, meet reputable individuals in the space and force himself to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

Heitner now runs Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., which is a law firm with many practice areas, including sports law and contract law. Heitner has represented numerous athletes and sports agents as legal counsel. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington from 2011-2014, where he created and taught a course titled, Sport Agency Management, which included subjects ranging from NCAA regulations to athlete agent certification and the rules governing the profession. Heitner serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he teaches a Sports Law class that includes case law surrounding athlete agents and the NCAA rules.