Over the next couple of weeks, we will be previewing the "roster bubble" aka the list of players who are not guaranteed a roster spot when the team trims things all the way down from 90 to 53.
Today's bubble profile: WR Shi Smith
Matt Rhule didn't have much to say about the second-year wide receiver out of South Carolina back in the spring other than he has a lot of work to do. We saw him make a few plays during the preseason as a rookie but he only appeared in six games during the regular season. Consistency seems to be the biggest issue with Smith. He'll make a few plays in practice that make you go, "wow" this kid's got something and then he'll have a few bad days where calling him the 6th-best receiver on the roster is a stretch.
Earlier this offseason, Smith was arrested with handgun, drug possession, and speeding charges. This is the only known off the field incident involving Smith since become a Panther and it appears that he's done a lot of work gaining the trust of the coaching staff in front office since. Now, he needs to put that behind him and put together a solid month of August.
The fact of the matter is, the wide receiver room is crowded with a bunch of bodies fighting for the last two spots on the roster. Brandon Zylstra, Keith Kirkwood, Charleston Rambo, Ra'Shaun Henry, C.J. Saunders, and Andrew Parchment are all in the mix as well.
Heading into camp, I think Smith is in a good position to make the 53-man cut but it's not a guarantee.
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