An NFC team has inquired about trading for Panther wide receiver Steve Smith in advance of the NFL's trade deadline, which is Thursday at 4 p.m.
This is a deal the Panthers absolutely should not make. Smith is 33, yes, and he won't play for too many more years (he signed a three-year contract extension in April). But he remains the Panthers' best wide receiver, and because of his age the price the Panthers could extract from another team would not be nearly enough to account for his worth to Carolina.
Put it this way. Have you ever owned a car that you absolutely loved despite its flaws? You and the car had tons of great trips and memories together. And it still ran just fine. But then it was getting sort of old and you went to a dealership, looked at the new models and asked how much you could get if you traded the car in for something else?
And then the salesman comes back and you are absolutely horrified by his lowball offer. You think to yourself, "This car is worth a lot more to me than it is to someone else. I think I'll just keep it."
That car is Steve Smith at this point in his career. As I wrote in the previous blog post, I'm absolutely fine with the Panthers trading running back DeAngelo Williams at a spot where the team has two other solid backs. But Brandon LaFell isn't consistent enough yet to be a No.1 receiver in the NFL, and the Panthers certainly don't want to have to start Louis Murphy as a No.2 guy. His hands aren't consistent enough.
Smith requested a trade in 2010 after the 2-14 season, but that wasn't granted and he ultimately made peace in returning to the Panthers, especially once they drafted Cam Newton. He told media members in the Panther locker room Wednesday that he planned to finish his career in Carolina. Of course, it's ultimately not his choice -- he doesn't have any sort of no-trade clause. Smith said Sunday after the Panthers dropped to 1-6 that the losing had grown "monotonous" and "tiresome." But No.89 can still play and can still scare defenses, and the Panthers' off-and-on offense still needs him desperately. The Panthers should not trade him. As for DeAngelo? See the blog post just below this one -- I'm fine with that.
We're moving!
9 years ago
Posts
40 comments:
Word sir, word. I hope no Jack rabbit gets on here and tries to spout nonsense otherwise. It would truly show their ignorance.
I agree with Scott; a trade of this magnitude requires some more thought and there simply isn't enough time left to weigh the ramifications. Steve Smith despite this stage of his career has demonstrated his value to this team. Please don't sacrifice one of the teams greatest assets despite the mediocre season.
trade him. I love him but he should have been traded years ago. jeez.
I agree, Scott. Steve means too much to this team for him to be traded.
A Steve Smith trade would the definitive word that management has given up on the season.
Trading Steve Smith would indicate that the team has completely given up on the season. And for you out there that think it's bad now and want him traded, I wouldn't even turn the game on after he's gone cause it'll be 10 times worse. It could be worse, we could be Jax and be getting blown out every game. Things will get better...
If that's the case, then go ahead and trade him.
They have given up. Go ahead and trade him.
As a Panther fan living in Denver, and rumors of a Fox reunion, I'm kind of for it...I think he's played hard enough since 2003 and deserves another shot at a ring.
Hopefully the organization has the sense to realize that trading Smith would only serve to further alienate the fan base. And it makes little football sense -- his contract is reasonable as as Scott points out, the parts aren't there to rebuild the WR corps.
However...if Smitty approached JJR and requested a trade once again, I'd think we'd at least explore it. And I do have a morbid curiosity to know what Smith could accomplish on a good team with a solid quarterback. Can you imagine what his career numbers would be if he had been drafted by the Colts or Patriots?
I'd rather trade some of the so-called "fans" around here!
There is simply no upside to trading Smith. The car analogy was very good Scott, but of course there are many who buy a new car and almost right away begin envying newer cars!
Scott. I like your analogy between Smitty and the old car, except that you're assuming a lowball offer. While I don't like the idea of losing Smitty to someone else, there is some price that makes it worth it to us. The problem is, without a GM in place with a plan in his head on where he wants us to go, how do you define that price? Very difficult conversation for us to have when we don't have a clue what the offer on the table is.
ANON 9:24
Really? They are 1-6. This season IS OVER.
Steve Smith scares no one playing for this team!
To the guy who wrote Steve Smith means too much to this team, in what way does he mean too much? They're an endlessly losing team, so I can only assume that he contributes to the losing, like he did this past week. There isn't a single franchise player on this team, they should all be in play.
Trade him while he still has some value. The same can be said of Cam Newton too.
Trade Smith and give him a chance to be with a winning team. The Panthers owe him that much. He only has a couple of more years to play and he won't be on a winning team if he remains in Charlotte. The writing is on the wall and the Panthers won't have a winning team as long as they remain under the present ownership.
The old car analogy is spot on because of the trade value. Unless the Panthers picked up somebody in free agency, this would set the franchise back a few years because the other receivers have not shown the ability to be consistently good yet.
They should trade him IF(!) the price is right
Smitty needs to retire here no question, maybe for my own selfish reasons and maybe many agree.
However The worth in just presence in the locker is priceless, if for nobody else, for CAM.
talk about done if they do this....I am done if they trade him away
I have a love hate relationship with Steve...he is not a leader...but what receiver is?? He gives 100% every game and every play though...he also is as good as a team player as you get with diva receivers....and that is more than we have anywhere else.
The only reason I hope Steve gets traded is because he deserves so much more than what the Panthers have given him. The guy is amazing. If he would have had real quarterbacks and real offensive systems for his career, he would be up with the all-timers.
steve smith is and will be for many years be the face of the team. to me, he means more than sam mills. he has the fight and desire that the rest of the team needs. he should be a panther until he retires. we should retire the number and place is statue opposite mills. i know he wants to win, but we all do. he means to much to the organization than just a no.1 reciever. you take him away, you take away the heart.
Couldn't agree more Scott. I don't care how old he is, he's a playmaker and arguably the best Panther this organization has had. Smitty belongs here in Carolina.
Big Cat will have some extremely pissed off fans if he gets shipped elsewhere.
If we trade Steve we'd have to start over completely with the WRs. He's our top offensive weapon, next to Cam. There is no one even close. I'm all for making trades, but please don't trade Steve Smith
My Panthers Season will be over if my all-time favorite player (Smitty) is traded. He should retire as a Panther and have his statue beside Sam Mills!
Also consider the fact that you have a 2nd year QB who, let's face it, has trouble dealing with adversity. You take his best WR away and you are seriously playing with his emotions.
Unless there is a 1 or certain high 2nd round pick involved, I wouldn't do it either. Ain't worth it.
SMITH AND NEWTON ARE GONERS
GOOD RIDDENCE
I do not think trading Steve smith is a good idea. He is the only WR we got. Otherwise we will get into the situation that St Louis RAMS are in for Sam Bradford. Everywhere in RAM's land they keep saying, Bradfor has no weapons to throw to, otherwise he could be good. Do we want to get into that kind of situation. I would be ok if we had found a genuine #1 WR like AJGreen on the team with Steve Smith. The next point I have is he is paid only 3.5 mill whereas Deangelo is paid 8.7 mill this year.
Panther Fan Living in Atlanta
Are u guys kidding trade Smitty? He's the one player I have no doubt is willing to fight to the end. It would be painful to see the Panthers without him. Some of our fans don't have a clue. Smitty has been a great player and does even more off the field. Get a clue and leave our 23 year-old into his 22nd game of his career alone. How many QBs come into the league as finished products? How mature were you at 23?
Please don't rip out another part of the Panthers heart by trading Smith; just like you did when you fired John Kasay.
Trade him yesterday. What is he doing as a captain to make this team better? Nothing. He sulks, whines, rants, raves, dances for no reason, and generally makes a buffoon out of himself on and off the field. I laughed out loud at the one posted who said the Panthers "owe him that much." Huh? The Panthers have paid this clown tens of millions of dollars and all he ever does is act like a selfish baby. Adios, fruitcake!
http://www.carolinahuddle.com/boards/topic/79149-steve-smith-youre-stuck-with-me/
He's lost a step or two, time to move him and his poor attitude out.
never trade Steve Smith. guy has more heart than 10 NFL receivers combined.
Steve has been a leader on this team because he's been forced to be in the past, mostly due to the lack of a franchise QB and a staple leader on Defense (prior to Beason). Is he truly the type of leader you want/need in the locker room? No. Think back to the immaturity he has displayed in the past (breaking Ken Lucas' AND Anthony Bright's nose, fighting with other teammates, fines, etc). He is a role player that got projected to a team leader in the absence of one. Is he valuable to our team. Yes. Should we trade him? Yes, for a first or conditional second round pick in the draft. For a team that is in the playoff hunt, he could be the player that puts them over the hump and is worth that. If anything less is offered, don't trade him. Say what you want, but he is perishable commodity and this is business. If the team can recoupe some value for him, let him go. We are rebuilding anyway. Give the new GM more tools to help build a winner for the future.
If this team trades Smith, I will trade in my PSLs. This is the LAST thing we need to do - trade the one guy who is playing hard?
If anyone, we need to trade Rivera but then again we couldnt get a moldy cup of coffee for him.
The organization owes it to Steve to trade him to a team that cares about winning. He is a competitor and the Panthers have proved to be satisfied with mediocrity at best.
So following the "car analogy" I would characterize Steve Smith as more like my Mercedes Sl55 AMG. It's a 2003 but its 500 hp and has every luxury in the book. It's only got 45k miles and looks and runs like a top. I've often thought about trading it for something new...but when I really think about it...why would I? Just to have something new? It will cost me a hell of a lot more...this ones paid for and there are few cars made today that can match this car in quickness, overall speed, luxury and beauty as well. It's still one hot car that few cars can beat. So forget that I'll keep it and run it until it starts to have problems...right now...it's still all good...
Keep Steve!
I can't figure out why anyone cares?...its the worst franchise in the NFL...why are there ANY fans?..It should be folded..same as the Bobcats..people here really enjoy their misery year after year..trade him..fire him...he's a loser..he's paid too much..he don't care..sell the team...just find another team thats worth caring about or some better way to spend your time than pro sports..these teams just are not worth having fans.
Post a Comment