Bill Voth on Steve Smith's Situation. Basically, It Isn't Over.

[TheRed]

For now that's definitely true. But if they cut Steve Smith, cut Godfrey, restructure Charles Johnson's contract, and make other salary cap saving moves....it's still possible. But I don't think they'll go through all that trouble when they can get way cheaper players all over the roster that will be of more help than just getting one WR.

Doesn't make much sense to cut Steve Smith because he's making too much money, to replace him with a guy who won't be much cheaper, if at all, who as far as I know has yet to make it through a full season healthy, and misses his team meetings. That just sounds like a bad move. I'd rather go draft if that's the option.

[grateflday]

If Smitty was gone, I would have to trust Gettleman on that one.  I just wouldn't get it.  Smith is basically better than any # 2 the Panthers and even many other organizations have, and would excel playing in the slot, etc.  I also do not think he would mind that at all.  The Panthers need a #1 ..... that we all know, including Smith.  He needs and very well could be this teams Ricky Proehl on a Superbowl run.      

[SevenSixes]

Breathless Media Types Could Have Handled This Better: True

 

After the infamous “Seven Second Pause” that left Panther beat writers collective mouths agape, much was written about how the front office had no confidence in Cam Newton. Only to be proven wrong by not only the team on field, but in the FO as well.

 

Once again we find them clutching at pearls while they try to decipher the new GM. Add this to the general inability to understand the salary cap (I’m calling you out JP) and you get one of the greatest non-stories this year. In an off season that is totally devoid of actual news, beat writers feel the pressure to create clicks so a controversy must be born!

Prediction: This kind of claptrap will continue to sink the reputation of sports journo’s that cave to the pressure of timelines that prevent actual reportage.

[t96]

I hate this.... Smitty's staying and there's absolutely no reason for him to go. His leadership helps Cam and Luke mature and form into leaders on their own, it doesn't hinder their progress as Voth says.

[carpanfan96]

The team isn't going to make a public announcement every time they talk to Steve Smith.

Steve said that the team didn't answer his call or his agents call and as of the retirement press conference he hadn't heard anything from the team.

[OneBadCat]

I don't buy that this comes down to a locker room issue. Cam Newton is 6'5 245lbs. Luke is a monster made of muscle himself. If they want to be leaders of the team is there's to take. Steve Smith has been the face of franchise because he was that good.

 

You can't fault Steve for commanding a locker room when we never put good enough players around him that could. He carried the offense for almost a decade with no true franchise QB to actually be "The Guy".

 

Jon Beason and Thomas Davis didn't have any trouble leading the team with Steve around. This smells like BS and if it's true then Cam and Luke should get a set of bigger balls. Besides it's not like this is something that Rivera couldn't take to Steve in private and ask him to let Cam and Luke take the reigns if it's that big of a deal. Look at how the team responds when guys try to mess with Steve on the field, if anything it's a good thing.

[MichaelNewtonII]

If Steve Smith is cut it will rival the nausea of seeing Russell Wilson in a Wisconsin jersey

Im a unc fan but either way it should be 100000000000000 times worse than a state fan seeing wilson in a Wisconsin jersey

[Darth Biscuit]

Oops, didn't know it was already posted in the Smitty Reaction thread... Credit to Darth Biscuit for the post. I thought it was significant enough for its own thread with the stuff he revealed that I hadn't heard elsewhere.

It deserved it's own thread... :)

[Proudiddy]

LOL...  these refs.

[panthers55]

So we want to cut players leaders because they aren't who we want to be leaders? Interesting 'logic'.

We have done it before.  We got rid of Delhomme in large part because they didn't want him to overshadow Matt Moore who was projected as the starter in 2010.  They felt like it was Delhomme's locker room and they needed to move on to give Moore a chance.

 

I know Voth has been on point so far, but I am not sure I agree that money isn't an issue at all. I agree that money in 2014 isn't an issue but I think it surely has to be in 2015 and 2016 especially if his productivity continues to drop.

[TheRed]

We let go of Jake Delhomme because he regressed terribly. Had nothing to do with him being a leader.

Grasping at straws around here.

[panthers55]

We let go of Jake Delhomme because he regressed terribly. Had nothing to do with him being a leader.

Grasping at straws around here.

Bad enough you argue all the time, worse you have no clue what you are talking about.

 

Sure he regressed but he could easily have been the backup for Moore going forward.  Instead so many players were on his side including Fox, it would have been impossible for Moore not to be looking over his shoulder all the time. It was widely acknowledged and discussed here at the time.  Were you even around then?

 

 

[TheRed]

Bad enough you argue all the time, worse you have no clue what you are talking about.

Sure he regressed but he could easily have been the backup for Moore going forward. Instead so many players were on his side including Fox, it would have been impossible for Moore not to be looking over his shoulder all the time. It was widely acknowledged and discussed here at the time. Were you even around then?

He wasn't going to be a backup here no matter how much of a locker room impact he had. The entire point of having a backup is knowing that the guy can competently step in for any period of time. We already know what Delhomme had left in the tank. We moved on.

You are trying to link this to the flawed argument about Steve Smith somehow blocking other guys from becoming leaders, and I'm sorry, but it isn't working, and all the insults in the world aren't going to change that.

Carry on though.

[panthers55]

He wasn't going to be a backup here no matter how much of a locker room impact he had. The entire point of having a backup is knowing that the guy can competently step in for any period of time. We already know what Delhomme had left in the tank. We moved on.

You are trying to link this to the flawed argument about Steve Smith somehow blocking other guys from becoming leaders, and I'm sorry, but it isn't working, and all the insults in the world aren't going to change that.

Carry on though.

You obviously don't remember that there was no reason to get rid of Jake because we already had to pay him 12 million even if we released him.  He could have been the backup and we still could have brought in Clausen in as a third option.  Since we were already obligated to pay him all of his salary the only reason we released him was because he was thought to be a possible disruption to Moore being the leader in the locker room.

This was common knowledge not some kind of speculation and is totally related to Smith.  Smith is guaranteed 3 million in salary this year even if we cut him and would still count 7 million in cap space.  So there is no reason to get rid of him this year except what Voth said which is locker room influence. They are also still related because they are not considered productive enough to justify investing big money in the future.  Sure they are both not the future but it made no sense to get rid of Jake except locker room issues and it makes no sense to get rid of Smitty except for what Voth said which is locker room issues.

 

Again where were you when this was going around that you have no clue.