If Smitty is "evaluated" and not on this team next yearn

[RoaringRiot]

I said in another thread (might have been this one...they all blur together at some point...) We still haven't replaced Moose and here we are on the verge of having to replacing SS....SMDH!

Absolutely. And if the plan to replace Steve somehow includes not having him on the team let's pray the new front office is making the right decision. If not....it would be an indescribable disaster.

[Billy Love]

I have faith in our GM gettleman to make the best decision for the Carolina panthers franchise. If Steve smith gets cut, it will be because he's unwilling to take a cut in pay.

[Panthers111]

When the Niners traded Hall of Famer Joe Montana, they had Hall of Famer Steve Young to replace him. When the Niners released Hall of Famer/GOAT Jerry Rice, they had future Hall of Famer Terrell Owens to replace him. If we cut Steve Smith, we'd have Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt to replace him - and they have a combined total of zero career catches.

There's a difference between making a hard decision and making a stupid decision.

 

I would agree with you there if Steve was still young to average. He is sadly becoming old. If he was still putting up 1200yds and 8 tds it would be stupid as you said but he is no longer that person. He has 1-3 years at most and he is at best a WR2. 

[carpanfan96]

I have faith in our GM gettleman to make the best decision for the Carolina panthers franchise. If Steve smith gets cut, it will be because he's unwilling to take a cut in pay.

Exactly, if he's cut it's because he couldn't come to terms on a new smaller contract that doesn't include the option or non-exercise fee.

It's going to be a sad day for Panther fans, no matter how it happens.

[MHS831]

Gettlemen and Rivera have been telling us through the media what is going on--are these warnings to Smith?  I dunno. 

 (I am paraphrasing):

"Sometimes you have to let a great player go (we thought he was talking about Hardy)....Sometimes the answer is on your own roster...McNutt and King need to get on the field....The draft is deep at WR....Smith is part of the evaluation process/the decision to come back is up to Gross....Hardyis an important part of this team... "

[TheRed]

Gettleman, and Rivera are doing what every other GM, and head coach do this time of year, and it doesn't involve telling the media their plans.

This over analyzing of vague comments is just getting ridiculous.

[SIGCHI222]

Smitty's cap figure in 2014...7 million, 2015...10 million, 2016...12 million.

Something has to give.

 

How happy are we going to be watching Steve have his retirement ceremony the last game of 2016 at BOA with a 4 and 11 record and watching Cam clap for him on the Jumbo-tron from Dallas?  We all love Steve but I am a Panthers fan first and foremost.  Dave's job is to develop tactics and a strategy...you cannot satisfy one and neglect the other and be successful.  We shall see if Steve Smith's loyalty to us is as strong as our loyalty to him.

[Toundra]

Smitty not playing for the Panthers next year?

Smitty is not just a player he is the soul of this team.

Now i am mad for the day and the days after!

 

 

[Montsta]

Fwiw, from the panthers official Instagram.

[carpanfan96]

^ That's been posted, it's what else he said during that interview. 

[Mr. Scot]

Everybody loves having a GM with big balls, until he cuts your favorite player.

[TheRed]

There is no indication that Gettleman is going to cut Steve Smith, other than twitter rumors, and people making a mountain out of a molehill in regards to very vague comments to the media that are nothing we haven't heard before this time of year.

[SIGCHI222]

Everybody loves having a GM with big balls, until he cuts your favorite player.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

And, I will guarantee you this, Gettleman could not care less about what the fans want or what happened in the past.  We can all enjoy what Smitty DID but the GM's job is to evaluate what you can DO.  I am preparing myself for the emotional gut-punch this will be but still hope middle ground can be found.

 

 

[Mr. Scot]

Couldn't agree more.

And, I will guarantee you this, Gettleman could not care less about what the fans want or what happened in the past. We can all enjoy what Smitty DID but the GM's job is to evaluate what you can DO. I am preparing myself for the emotional gut-punch this will be but still hope middle ground can be found.

I'm not dead sold on the idea that Smitty will be cut.

But I do acknowledge it as a real and legitimate possibility.