Steve Smith rumors: Panthers released Smith to get ‘younger and cheaper’ at wide receiver
By Hayden Kane
The must-see game on the week 4 NFL schedule is the Baltimore Ravens vs the Carolina Panthers. That is true for one reason: it is Steve Smith’s return to Carolina. It is the “Goggle Game.”
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All the way back in March, Smith noted this game as the “Goggle Game” because things “could get messy.” Needless to say, the excitable veteran wide receiver was unhappy about being released by his longtime team. Smith made it clear that he took it personally.
Now that game is here, and a report from NFL.com on why the Panthers decided to release Smith is only going to add fuel to the fire. According to Ian Rapoport, and passed along by Kevin Patra, the Panthers released Smith to get “younger and cheaper” at wide receiver.
"According to Panthers sources, the team did not cut Smith because he couldn’t play anymore. They expected this kind of performance from him and never questioned whether he still could do it on the field, per Rapopoprt.The reason the Panthers ultimately cut the former face of the franchise was because they decided to go younger and cheaper at that position. Additionally, there was fear within the organization that Smith would continue to be a divisive force in the locker room, particularly with quarterback Cam Newton."
That potential rift with Newton would seem more noteworthy, but you know what Smith is going to notice? That the Panthers essentially said he was too old. You better make sure those goggles are ready.
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