Panthers News: Adam Thielen, Frankie Luvu, Shi Smith and Brian Burns
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines on the last Sunday with NFL regular season action until 2024?
We're almost there. Just one week remains until the Carolina Panthers begin their regular season commitments at the Atlanta Falcons, which means it'll soon be time to see what Frank Reich's men are made of in a competitive setting at long last.
Until then, the stories causing debate include Adam Thielen's influence, Shi Smith's potential new home, Frankie Luvu being tipped for a major individual accolade, and Brian Burns' contract situation raising concern.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Former Carolina Panthers WR gets a workout elsewhere
One of the more surprising cuts made by the Carolina Panthers this week was Shi Smith. The wide receiver got buried down the depth chart despite several injuries to key playmakers, which was something of a shock when one considers how well the former sixth-round selection out of South Carolina applied himself throughout the offseason.
Smith is still looking for a new home, but an opportunity could be coming soon. According to multiple reports, the wideout and kick returner worked out for the New England Patriots, who also picked up quarterback Matt Corral after the second-year-pro was unceremoniously removed from the equation to make way for a waiver wire acquisition.
It seems as if Smith left the Patriots without a deal. But he's far too talented not to land on a practice squad at the very least either before or during the 2023 campaign.