Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Steve Smith, wide receiver of the Carolina Panthers, has been a staple in the offensive attack for years (12 to be exact). He has recorded over 1,000 yards receiving each year he has played with quarterback Cam Newton and is primed for another year of success.
This part might sound weird after saying that, but if you have him on your team, I would either bench or trade him as fast as you can. The new offense has looked dreadful this preseason, and Newton doesn’t look comfortable being a statue in the pocket behind a horrendous offensive line.
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The Panthers also have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, and they start with the Seattle Seahawks, one of the best defenses in the league. The Seahawks’ defense is physical and athletic, which is the exact kind of defense that gives Newton and Smith trouble.
Smith has had a great career to this point, but it might be too much this year for him to have those kinds of numbers again. He should be in a trade or benched until the offense clicks. He could be used as a bye week replacement depending on the match-up.
A few wide receivers I would start instead of Smith include T.Y. Hilton of Indianapolis Colts, or Golden Tate of the Seattle Seahawks facing Smith and the Panthers Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Hopefully, the Panthers can put it together, or this might just be the beginning of the end for Smith.
