3 Things No One is Talking About

[MHS831]

why is no one talking about him coming back after being cut?  i mean, he just had a kid right?  why would he leave?  you'd think he come back for cheap or just retire.

 

 I think the answer to your question, however, is related to the way he is being handled.  In addition, they are trying to get something for him in a trade before cutting him.  Maybe re-signing him is plan B.

 

I am not sure that Smitty's pride would allow him to return.

[csx]

His pride is strong but I think what is best for his family is one thing he would put in front if pride.

[CRA]

why is no one talking about him coming back after being cut? i mean, he just had a kid right? why would he leave? you'd think he come back for cheap or just retire.

He is stat chasing.....he doesn't want to retire.

[Carolina Crazy V2]

I thought when a player retired the money reverted back?

 

Spotrac is still counting his salary against our cap. Without him counting against our cap, we would have more than $10,000,000 in space. 

[philp]

His pride is strong but I think what is best for his family is one thing he would put in front if pride.

 

his pride may be strong, but his wife may be even stronger.  either way, i wish him the best.

[philp]

He is stat chasing.....he doesn't want to retire.

 

in your honest opinion, what situation would be best for his stats?  i think he's going to be a 3rd - 4th option where ever he goes, depending on the TE play.

[CollegePanther]

Sure it does. 89 brings a lot of quirks and baggage with him......and we are building a a team around Luke and Newton. If he makes there ownership of this team more difficult than it needs to be......it makes sense.

Do you know what Steve Smith has done for this team in the past 13 years? You've got to be kidding me... he's a team captain. He's a hard worker that motivates others. To label him as baggage and kick him to the curb after all these years of being the only reliable receiver we have is absurd. If we want to get rid of him to save money, trade him; but cutting him to save 1 mil this season is fuging ridiculous. Who else do we have? McNutt and King sure as hell aren't gonna replace him, not even Nicks. 

[CollegePanther]

He is stat chasing.....he doesn't want to retire.

Oh and now he's stat chasing? If you don't think Smitty wants a Superbowl more than anyone on this team, you're fuging wrong. 

[panfan32]

Um we are not paying Gross anything. His contract was up as of this year. Either we resigned him or he retired or signed with another team. But we are not paying gross money for a contract that he voided the final year.

[panfan32]

Yes we are its called an accelarated portion of his pro-rated signing bonus when he voided the final year of his contract we are still on the hook for his already paid bonus.

 

Damn forgot about that part of the new deal he did last year. UGH!!!!!!

[Riverboat Ron]

I'm sure Graham will conveniently not challenge the TE franchise and somehow *cough cough* get money under the table.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

I hate the Smitty situation just as much as anyone mainly bc the way it was handled. He does deserve to have a smoother, mutually understandable talk anout the Panthers plan for him behind closed doors despite that he was paid millions to do his job(as some have said).

Big Picture:

Smitty's contract is an escalating poinsion pill for the cap however and he is not getting better. The cap nuber for Smitty to retire or cut would be 2million more in 2015.

I think this screams we are drafting or double dipping WRs in this draft...and Smitty would be taking reps away from these young guy to develop sooner than later.

With Smitty being considered a perfect slot guy this late in his career is not worth this amount. You could have your choice of young WRs in free agency for 7-9 million a season. The fast slot guys are easy to draft or replace for a lot cheaper.

Steve is an ultra competetive guy and is NOT a mentoring type of guy..he is not teaching someone to take his job. He will not be Marvin McNutt's WR coach..lol

Also have a shorter WR in Smith,who will retire soon anyway..would make the front office hesitate to draft a Brandon Cooks type WR bc it would be a duplication of player type...prob a reason we passed on the promising Kenny Stills last season where Kugbilia was drafted.

It is a move that needed to made and the backend of his "Hurney" contract made this happen sooner than later.

[tondi]

I agree that cutting SS does little to help this years cap situation but it will save the team a TON of cap space over the next two years when several core guys are going to need to be resigned.  I hate to lose him as well but better him than Luke, Cam, Star, Hardy, etc..  It just sucks that his contract was so fuggin ridiculous that it left the team no choice other than to keep him and let other, much younger, key players walk.