Breaking down the all-time greatest Buffalo Bills strong safeties as voted by Bills Mafia

 Leonard Smith (1988 - 1991)

Leonard Smith was drafted in 1983 by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 17th overall selection in the first round.  He spent five full seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the Bills in 1988, just three games into the season.  Over the course of the next four years, he missed only one start with the Cardinals.

Once he joined the Bills via that early season trade, he started all but one game of his Buffalo career, that being his very first game with the team.  After that, he took over the lead role at safety and provided that veteran leadership that young Bills team needed.

He was known for being a hard hitter in the secondary and helped the Bills defense become one of the best in the NFL.  The team made the playoffs that season in 1988, advancing to the AFC Championship game.  That was Leonard’s first taste of the post-season and the first of many more.

He remained with the team until a knee injury before Super Bowl XXVI essentially ended his career.  Despite his impact on the team, he was never named an All-Pro or voted to a Pro Bowl during his time with the Bills; however, he was a second-team All-Pro in 1986 with the Cardinals.

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