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Matt Rhule, Carolina Panthers players gush over WR Shi Smith: ‘He gives us a shot in the arm’
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Shi Smith is looking to make a bigger impact on the Carolina Panthers offense in his 2nd NFL season.
After being taken by the Panthers out of South Carolina in the 6th round in 2021, Smith made just 6 catches for 104 yards as a rookie. But he’s played an increased role in training camp with a few players in the team’s WR corps missing time during training camp due to injury, including Robby Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr.
“I think Shi, he gives us a shot in the arm no matter who else is on the roster. I think if everyone is healthy, Shi is still one of our top guys out there,” said Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, according to The State.
And several of Smith’s teammates have been impressed, too.
“I think that we’re going to keep pushing him along. He’s a guy who has so much skill and can be a serious weapon for us,” said running back Christian McCaffrey. But there’s another step I know he knows that he can take, so we’re urging him to get there.”
“He’s getting hot. He’s heating up. And that’s what we want out of him, because at the end of the day, we need playmakers, and he’s one of them,” added wide receiver Rashard Higgins.
Gaining that bond with his teammates bodes well for a player that Rhule called one of the Panthers’ “true bright spots”.
“I mean, you talk about a guy who’s made huge strides. In terms of playmakers on our offense, he’s up there at the top,” he added.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
