Rivera says Steve Smith wasn't a distraction

[TN05]

 

Wide receiver Steve Smith was not a locker room distraction and the decision to release him was not personal, Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said on Wednesday.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10675714/ron-rivera-coach-carolina-panthers-says-steve-smith-distraction

[therealmjl]

God I wish this would just go away.

[L-TownCat]

Instead he said he was slowing down and losing effectiveness giving the team an opportunity to cut him and they took it.

Statements on PFT under the team section. Too lazy to link on the phone. It's probably already on the forum somewhere anyway.

 

 

edit: yep Zod got it.  different outlet same story tho.

[AceBoogie]

So you release him because.....

[Guest Irv]

[NFLFangirl19]

So you release him because.....

because he's old & slow & Jerricho Cotchery is 10x more effective....

[BuffaloBills62]

Why would you release one of your best players without a backup plan?  In this case there was not even a backing up backup plan.

 

It was a poor decision.

[csx]

That whole angle was made up by the press. It's in their best interest to make this a soap opera. It's all people like Person and Gantt have.

[IGSaint]

Why would you release one of your best players without a backup plan?  In this case there was not even a backing up backup plan.

 

It was a poor decision.

 

The back up plan was guys like jerricho cotchery who are cheaper and just as effective. 

[AceBoogie]

because he's old & slow & Jerricho Cotchery is 10x more effective....

Are you crazy? Cotchery had 10tds last year, that's not the norm for him and he won't get that here. Cotchery is not now nor has he ever been better than Steve Smith.

[AceBoogie]

I'm taking a break from the huddle man, people are really trying to pretend Cotchery is and upgrade over Smitty. Keep drinking that kool aid, from Jim Jones.

[CarolinaNCSU]

He was released to hand the offense over to Cam officially and start a new era. The end. 

[jtnc]

because he's old & slow & Jerricho Cotchery is 10x more effective....

You are insane. PLEASE show me where does Cotchery make the catches that Steve Smith does? Or the effort in blocking that Steve Smith does? In comparison, Steve Smith was signed TWO days after he was released. Cotchery? Two weeks after FA.

[TheRumGone]

i thought that was sarcasm....