4 players the Carolina Panthers cannot risk sneaking onto practice squad in 2023
By Dean Jones
Which players should the Carolina Panthers not risk sneaking onto the practice squad ahead of the upcoming 2023 campaign?
The Carolina Panthers are just a few short weeks away from their annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg. And after an extremely eventful offseason, plenty of places are up for grabs.
Frank Reich and his staff increased competition across the board following a strong period of recruitment. General manager Scott Fitterer is never one to sit on his hands, which was further reflected this week by picking up veteran Taylor Stallworth to boost defensive line depth.
This added quality from top-to-bottom is going to raise practice standards. Players know they can ill-afford to have bad days with others chomping at the bit for involvement, which should be evident from the most established stars to those right on the roster bubble.
On this topic, we picked out four players that the Panthers cannot risk sneaking onto the practice squad in 2023.
Shi Smith - Carolina Panthers WR
The wide receiver room looks more crowded than ever after Jonathan Mingo, D.J. Chark, Damiere Byrd, Marquez Stevenson, and Adam Thielen joined the Carolina Panthers this spring. Something that makes life difficult for Shi Smith in pursuit of winning a roster spot.
Smith has flashed brief moments of quality over his first two NFL seasons. But the consistency isn't there and unless things change, it's hard to envisage a scenario where he gets significant playing time.
A scenario could even emerge where the Panthers cut Smith loose entirely. If this became reality, another team would take a close look at his credentials to prevent Carolina from putting him on their practice squad.