Steve Smith Cut. Sign him now

[dales804]

He hates the Pats and I hate him. No thanks

The Patriots were one of five teams he okay'd being traded to before being released.

 

[Tunescribe]

You are probably right about the Patriots not being willing go there, but let the record show that I would have no objections if they did. The rewards are worth the risk. This guy is a truly remarkable player and his skills (ability to get open, great hands) are not likely to disappear even in his mid-thirties.

The Panthers letting him go is pretty telling. Reports suggest it's more than just his contract and they're tired of his act.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Ya but WTF do you know?

Haven't you heard ... He's too old, He's too short, He hates the Pats, He's a Money Grubber and He's a Horrible teammate.

Yeah you can tell who know and who don't know jack **** about Steve Smith. Personally I'm shocked to see the Panthers at least halfway doing the right thing and releasing him, instead of Sproling him to the Browns.

As for all the other ignorant comments:

-Smith, is going to make 3 million dollars guaranteed from the Panthers no matter where goes. He's not going to be playing for the money at this point. He's made his money and he's in Carolina and the position he is in right now because of his loyalty vs money.

-He's been one of the Panthers player appointed Captains for a long time now, a leader on that team, and a player others looked up to. The fighting incidents are not only old, but it's the equivalent of a dude just decking someone in the face for saying something disrespectul about your momma. He may have punched someone, but in the eyes of those who know, it's about the equivalent of Bardy losing his cool and cursing out O'Brian on national TV. And certainly never had any of the serious issues other WR that have graced Pats uniforms have. Moss, Ochocinco, etc. He had the equivalent of schoolyard fights between two jocks, not some mental headcase aggressor. When he was younger he just had a tendency to strike first and ask questions later.

-Finally, he's been ASKING to be in the slot or give him some help and to put him in a reduced role. They didn't. He wanted LaFell to take on the reigns from him and has been helping him do that ever since LaFell came in as a rookie. LaFail failed to win the job.

"Where we are disappointed is the fact he signed an extension to stay loyal to the club and complete his career as a Panther," Fox said. "That is why we did the long-term team deal. Now we are at a crossroads where the Panthers don't want him anymore."

"At 34, they could have kept him and run him in the slot," Fox said. "Steve wants to play in the slot. But he can't play the slot with the current roster, and he hasn't been able to play in the slot with the rosters in the past."

Steve Smith finished with Carolina Panthers, agent says - ESPN

Please take it from those of us fans who have actually watched this dude for 13 years since he was a rookie, day in and day out, and knows his personal life in Charlotte, rather than ESPN.


Steve Smith on the field.

New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard


Steve Smith off the field:

In a nutshell. Appearances and hearsay can be deceiving.


Use some common sense. You don't get to be the #1 option on the same team for 13 years if you have major issues. And you certainly don't get to have the owner- quite frankly they have never even liked each other and probably still don't to this day- bow down to Smith and personally beg him to come back to the team when he was a free agent, if he doesn't know the kind of man he is or if he thought he was a major headcase. Smith earned everyone's respect on that team, from owner to janitor and has the same old school mentality that a coach like BB has.

 

[Froob]

He hates the Pats and I hate him. No thanks

So did Revis.

 

[jabanero]

The Top 20 Worst Teammates in NFL History | Bleacher Report

Report: Steve Smith seen as distraction by Panthers - NFL.com

Steve Smith vs. The World «

Steve Smith vs. His Teammates

Let’s get this out of the way first: Steve Smith beat the crap out of three of his teammates. In 2002 he got in a fight with fellow receiver Guilian Gary. Later that same year, he broke the nose of another receiver, Anthony Bright, during a film session. He was charged with assault for that altercation. Five years later, he again broke a teammate’s nose; this time it was cornerback Ken Lucas.

The account of the Bright fight is pretty horrifying, with reports suggesting that Smith became enraged with Bright after the practice squad player asked for a play to be shown again, and then jumped him after the lights were turned out during a film session (“all hell broke loose”). Bright wound up suing Smith in 2004, claiming that the fight ruined his NFL career.

He's 35. The stuff from 12 years ago is irrelevant. He got in one other scuffle in training camp - happens all the time but since he had a previous offense everyone assumed it was a big deal. He's worshipped in Charlotte by the community and genuinely was sad about leaving. I sensed it was more because of his roots and the franchise then the money. That's not a bad teammate.

My only concern would be if he is still capable of producing at his advanced age.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Not being sarcastic, why was he was a team captain for 5+ years if he's such a bad teammate?

The guys he punched in the face were afraid to vote against him.

Steve Smith with the Panthers: A timeline | CharlotteObserver.com

Several things from this article stand out:

July or August 2002: Gets into a fight with undrafted rookie receiver Guilian Gary at training camp. Gary leaves camp and becomes a college coach a year later.

Nov. 10, 2002: Punches teammate Anthony Bright during a film-room session. Bright files charges, and Smith is arrested. He’s suspended for one game.

Aug. 1, 2008: Gets in a fight with teammate Ken Lucas at training camp and breaks Lucas’ nose. The Panthers suspend Smith for the first two games of the season.

 

[Keyser Söze]

I'm not going to be content with Brady's weapons until we get ASJ in the draft (I hope), sign Edelman or trade Amendola, then get one more outside WR. I think Nicks is going to Carolina so I'd take Britt at this point.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

So, you must be OK with his being an obnoxious in-house agitator with anger issues (at 5-foot-9 and 35 years old). I seriously doubt the Patriots are willing to go there.

I am going to say nothing, because every single time I say BB/The Pats will never sign Moss/Revis, the next day they sign the guy

 

[Keyser Söze]

when did Smith say he hates the Pats? Hopefully you're not basing that off the fight he got into with Talib last season.

 

[PatriotSeven]

The Panthers letting him go is pretty telling. Reports suggest it's more than just his contract and they're tired of his act.

If you ask me and those who are close enough to know a bit about the internal politics of the Panthers, the only thing "telling" about this other than the fact that Cam Newton can't truly lead the team with Steve Smith still on it because Steve Smith doesn't respect Cam Newton.

As long as Steve is on the team, he is a big shadow Cam can't live up to and overcome. Cam simply wants the C without ever earning the C in front of Smith's eyes and Smith doesn't make that easy. And there are a lot of other players on the team, that don't expect as much from Cam and don't need that from him in order to treat him as a leader. Smith and a lot of the other vets do. That's all this is about. Steve's last incident that was truly out of line was in 2008. Smith has the mentality that respect is earned, not given, and Cam hasn't earn it, so he won't give it to him.

That's it. That's what this whole thing is all about.

 

[Tunescribe]

I am going to say nothing, because every single time I say BB/The Pats will never sign Moss/Revis, the next day they sign the guy

I said "seriously doubt," not "never."

I think Baltimore is a better fit for Smith. Maybe they can put him in the boxing ring with Ray Rice during training camp.

 

[PatriotSeven]

when did Smith say he hates the Pats? Hopefully you're not basing that off the fight he got into with Talib last season.

Considering Smith has basically been one of the FEW Panthers to ever live by the principles shared by the Patriots as an organization on that team, that is absolute bonkers.

Not to mention:

Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer also reported this morning that the Patriots were one of five teams that Smith gave to Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman as teams he would like to be traded to.

http://www.patspulpit.com/2014/3/13/5504598/could-steve-smith-sign-with-the-new-england-patriots

So yeah...

 

[Brady6]

Smith made Talib look like a jag. He's a true #1 & available right now. Sign him and give Brady a real weapon that commands attention from opposing Defenses.

He did not make Talib look like a JAG, but he did make him look like an undisciplined punk.

I am not interested in Smith, I think he is a cancer and at 34 nearly 35 he is not worth it.

 

[Ivan]

So, you must be OK with his being an obnoxious in-house agitator with anger issues (at 5-foot-9 and 35 years old). I seriously doubt the Patriots are willing to go there.

The Patriots have a history of taking chances on certain player's with bad track records and some have worked out really well for them, Dillon, Moss, Talib, Blount as examples. Smith really hasn't had any significant incidents for a long time and his anger at Carolina is due to their going public with their desire to move on without ever discussing it with him, and i can't say that I blame him for that, player's get offended by how they are being treated by their team all the time and this is a guy who has done more for that franchise than probably any player in their history, so there are some good reasons for his anger. I have no idea how Belichick views him but I wouldn't have any problem with them taking a chance on him and i think he could really help them next season if they do bring him in.

 

[primetime]

Rodney Harrison got in a fight with Kevin Faulk in training camp on like the third day of practice that he was a Patriot. That worked out fine.

Smith's mouthy, but so was Talib. I don't think a guy plays thirteen years for the same team and is named a team captain for a significant number of those if he's a "cancer."

Now, whether he can be a regular contributor from a football perspective is another story. He's not the player he was 5 years ago, certainly, but he can still separate and is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Question is how long that will last.

 

[jabanero]

If you ask me and those who are close enough to know a bit about the internal politics of the Panthers, the only thing "telling" about this other than the fact that Cam Newton can't truly lead the team with Steve Smith still on it because Steve Smith doesn't respect Cam Newton.

As long as Steve is on the team, he is a big shadow Cam can't live up to and overcome. Cam simply wants the C without ever earning the C in front of Smith's eyes and Smith doesn't make that easy. And there are a lot of other players on the team, that don't expect as much from Cam and don't need that from him in order to treat him as a leader. Smith and a lot of the other vets do. That's all this is about. Steve's last incident that was truly out of line was in 2008. Smith has the mentality that respect is earned, not given, and Cam hasn't earn it, so he won't give it to him.

That's it. That's what this whole thing is all about.

The Panthers completely fulfilled their potential this year. They simply weren't as good as SF or Seattle. That had nothing to do with Steve Smith.

 

[JackBauer]

Count me among those who don't get the Smith hype.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yeah you can tell who know and who don't know jack **** about Steve Smith. Personally I'm shocked to see the Panthers at least halfway doing the right thing and releasing him, instead of Sproling him to the Browns.



As for all the other ignorant comments:



-Smith, is going to make 3 million dollars guaranteed from the Panthers no matter where goes. He's not going to be playing for the money at this point. He's made his money and he's in Carolina and the position he is in right now because of his loyalty vs money.



-He's been one of the Panthers player appointed Captains for a long time now, a leader on that team, and a player others looked up to. The fighting incidents are not only old, but it's the equivalent of a dude just decking someone in the face for saying something disrespectul about your momma. He may have punched someone, but in the eyes of those who know, it's about the equivalent of Bardy losing his cool and cursing out O'Brian on national TV. And certainly never had any of the serious issues other WR that have graced Pats uniforms have. Moss, Ochocinco, etc. He had the equivalent of schoolyard fights between two jocks, not some mental headcase aggressor. When he was younger he just had a tendency to strike first and ask questions later.



-Finally, he's been ASKING to be in the slot or give him some help and to put him in a reduced role. They didn't. He wanted LaFell to take on the reigns from him and has been helping him do that ever since LaFell came in as a rookie. LaFail failed to win the job.







Please take it from those of us fans who have actually watched this dude for 13 years since he was a rookie, day in and day out, and knows his personal life in Charlotte, rather than ESPN.





Steve Smith on the field.



New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard





Steve Smith off the field:

In a nutshell. Appearances and hearsay can be deceiving.





Use some common sense. You don't get to be the #1 option on the same team for 13 years if you have major issues. And you certainly don't get to have the owner- quite frankly they have never even liked each other and probably still don't to this day- bow down to Smith and personally beg him to come back to the team when he was a free agent, if he doesn't know the kind of man he is or if he thought he was a major headcase. Smith earned everyone's respect on that team, from owner to janitor and has the same old school mentality that a coach like BB has.

Nailed it. He won't come here, but I'd be happy to have him. He would be an upgrade over either of Edelman and Amendola.

He isn't the player that he used to be, but in an offense with more than one receiving option where he plays in the slot, he will produce for the next 1-2 years. If the Ravens sign him, it will improve their offense significantly.

 

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

So, you must be OK with his being an obnoxious in-house agitator with anger issues (at 5-foot-9 and 35 years old). I seriously doubt the Patriots are willing to go there.

Ya I'm ok with it. Have no idea what BB will do...none of us do.

 

[Snake Eyes]

He did not make Talib look like a JAG, but he did make him look like an undisciplined punk.

I am not interested in Smith, I think he is a cancer and at 34 nearly 35 he is not worth it.

How, specifically, has his play declined?