5 bold predictions for the Panthers in Week 2 preseason game vs. Ravens
By Dean Jones
Shi Smith will be the Carolina Panthers leading WR
Considering how banged up Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore have been this week, it might be best for the Carolina Panthers to give them extremely limited time on the field or sit them entirely. Everyone knows what the stud tandem is capable of when it comes to the crunch, so maintaining their freshness is arguably more important to the team’s chances of hitting the ground running.
This will certainly mean more opportunities for other wide receivers on the depth chart to make their presence felt. Terrace Marshall Jr. and David Moore would be the primary beneficiaries, but one cannot ignore the eye-catching progress made by Shi Smith over the last fortnight.
The sixth-round pick is really coming into his own. Smith’s fearless attitude is matched by exceptional ball skills, something that could be of use on a rotational basis and on special teams in 2021.
Smith made a big-time catch when contact was fast approaching at the Indianapolis Colts for a 26-yard gain. Things like this don’t go unnoticed by the coaching staff and offensive coordinator Joe Brady in particular, so expect the South Carolina product to acquire more in the way of targets in Week 2 of the preseason.
What comes next will be down to Smith. There is a real swagger to his play that’s hard not to love and if an opportunity comes his way, his dependability from a catching standpoint could lead to some memorable highlights.