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Former top WR says Browns WR room: ‘They have a lot of talent,’ vets ‘on notice’
Former NFL great Steve Smith praises the Browns' WR room, mentioning talent and veterans on notice
Steve Smith
WR · FA · 41 yrs · exp 19 · Utah
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- Game status
- Inactive
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2026 Season Opener Countdown: 63 Days Remaining
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
The Cat Scratch Reader is counting down to the Carolina Panthers' season opener by highlighting top players. This year, the focus is on historical players rather than current jersey numbers. The article discusses Ken Lucas, a cornerback signed to a significant contract who provided four solid seasons, and mentions an altercation between Lucas and Steve Smith during training camp
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2026 Season Opener Countdown: 78 Days Remaining
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
Here at Cat Scratch Reader we have counted down the final 100 days leading up to the Carolina Panthers season opener by for at least the past ten years. We’ve always done this by highlighting the current player on the roster whose jersey number matches the day on the countdown. This year, we decided to change that up a bit by counting down our own list of the Top 100 Panthers of all time. This does not correspond to jersey number, does not need to be somebody who wore a jersey, and will in no way be controversial. It’s back to back wide receivers on the top 100 list. Day number 79 belonged to Mark Carrier . Number 78 goes to a more modern wide receiver, Ted Ginn Jr. Ginn originally came into the NFL as a top 10 pick of the Miami Dolphins . Despite a standout college career as a receiver and returner, the pick wasn’t well received, and that proved to be justified. Ginn only spent three years in Miami and totaled just 1,664 yards and five touchdowns in those three years, though he did chip in an additional three return touchdowns. His inconsistency as a wide receiver led to the Dolphins trading him away to the 49ers , who used him primarily as a returner. After a couple years of that, the Panthers decided that was a guy they could bring in to be a top three receiver for Cam Newton . Ginn originally only spent one year in Carolina as the team’s third wide receiver behind 34 year old Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell . He chipped in a respectable 556 yards and five touchdowns before departing for Arizona . He did nothing in Arizona, and the Panthers saw that and thought “that’s a guy we need to bring back into an expanded role at wide receiver.” He was originally slotted in as the team’s number two wide receiver, but a torn ACL suffered by Kelvin Benjamin in training camp elevated Ginn to the team’s WR1 position. He started the next two seasons for Carolina, and they would be among the best two years of his career. He topped over 700 yards in both seasons and caught a career high 10 touchdowns in 2015. He retained some return duties and maintained his effectiveness there. Ginn was one of those players who only spent three seasons in Carolina, but it felt like he was here for a lot longer. He probably never should have been one of the team’s top options at wide receiver, but he was thrust into that role and had some memorable moments. Now to be fair, some of those moments were painful ones when he’d drop an open touchdown, but he was also on the receiving end of a number of long touchdowns off the arm of Cam Newton. In a way, he’s forever linked to Newton; only Greg Olsen had more receiving yards from the franchise’s all time best quarterback. That link elevates Ginn and slots him in at number 78 on the top 100 Panthers of all time
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Are Rams entering ‘dream team’ territory?
The 2026 Los Angeles Rams boast unquestionably the best roster—on paper—in the Sean McVay era and possibly ever. Those are high expectations to put on a team that has yet to play a game when others have won Super Bowls and cemented themselves in NFL history. If the Rams do not make good on their championship promise over the upcoming season, many will point to their high profile additions as yet another example that the “dream team” model has again failed. LA added the following notable players over the offseason: Myles Garrett , EDGE Trent McDuffie , CB Jaylen Watson , CB Ty Simpson , QB Max Klare, TE One historical parallel that can be drawn to this year’s Rams team is the 2011 “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles. Over the course of a single offseason, Philly attempted to load up for a Super Bowl run. Their additions hold many similarities to who recently joined LA. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB (free agency) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie , CB (trade) Jason Babin , EDGE (off 12-sack season) Cullen Jenkins , DT Steve Smith, WR (NYG) Ronnie Brown , RB Evan Mathis , OG Vince Young, QB (backup to Michael Vick) Following a season of defensive regression, the Eagles tried to fix secondary struggles by acquiring not one but two high-profile, veteran corners. Similar to LA, they signed Asomugha (Watson) to a large free agent contract and then traded for Rodgers-Cromartie (McDuffie). While this is somewhat in reverse order because the Rams’ free agent deal to Watson should be considered middle market, their trade for McDuffie was one of the largest return compensations for a corner in recent memory. While history may not remember Babin as a great EDGE rusher, Philly signed him following a 12.5-sack season and he posted 18 sacks with the 2011 team. This was a significant addition for that era of the NFL. Babin paid great dividends for the Eagles. The Rams hope Garrett can do the same and his best production is not behind him. One other notable but relatively minor similarity is that the Eagles also signed Young as a promising backup to Vick. Andy Reid had already revived the career of Vick, why couldn’t he do the same for Young once Vick’s playing days were over? It was initially viewed as a multi-year addition though Young lasted only a single season in Philly and retired shortly thereafter. The intention was similar to the Rams’ usage of their top draft pick on Ty Simpson. At risk of oversimplification but in order to keep the conversation broad initially, the Eagles’ “Dream Team” failed because NFL roster building is more complicated than simply collecting talent. Players much compliment each other and match the team’s scheme. Bringing in the most talented individuals may work in the Madden video game but not on the field and in practice. The first micro reason why the Eagles failed is that the Asomugha acquisition did not work out nearly as well as hoped. One explanation is that Asomugha did not fit Philly’s defensive scheme. He was an island, man corner with the Raiders before joining the Eagles who were historically a zone-heavy team. Rodgers-Cromartie aside from him was a zone-first corner. And ultimately the defensive scheme took the fall for the demise of the Eagles. Juan Castillo, whom Reid promoted out of loyalty from his position as offensive line coach (little defensive experience), was an immediate failure. Many blamed him for not getting production out of a very talented group, although the root cause was maybe that the defensive additions did not fit Philly’s historical scheme either. In turn Reid’s days were also numbered. After the “Dream Team” finished 8-8, Reid oversaw another disappointing season in 2012. He was fired the following offseason. The pressure is on for the Rams . They are expected to finish the season with a Super Bowl victory months before training camp even begins. The team itself has set the mark at Super Bowl or bust. Anything short of a championship will be a disappointment. That is a [... truncated ...]
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