Panthers waive veteran wide receiver ahead of 53-man roster cut deadline
Despite an impressive effort in the preseason, the Panthers are moving on from wideout Shi Smith.
The former South Carolina wide receiver was let go Tuesday, a league source told The Observer. Smith will now be subject to waivers.
Smith caught seven passes for 88 yards in three preseason games this summer. He made two catches for nine yards in the preseason finale on Friday against the Detroit Lions.
Smith’s roster prospects never seemed to be on steady ground this offseason. The team signed free agents DJ Chark, Adam Thielen and Damiere Byrd to upgrade the wideout depth chart. The squad then selected Jonathan Mingo with the 39th overall pick in the second round of this year’s draft. The team also traded for receiver/returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette on Tuesday.
Smith was fighting an uphill battle throughout the summer, despite performing admirably in training camp at Wofford College. As injuries piled up at wide receiver, Smith stepped up with additional playing time. But Smith was competing against the rest of the depth chart to force a sixth receiver onto the roster, and that mission evidently failed, at least for him.
Smith, a 2021 sixth-round pick, played in 23 games for the Panthers during his first two seasons with the squad. Smith collected 28 catches for 400 yards and two touchdowns during his time in Carolina. He was also occasionally used as a returner on special teams.
This story was originally published August 29, 2023 at 10:26 AM.
