Ihmir Smith-Marsette Traded to Panthers from Chiefs; Conditional Draft Picks Swapped

The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday they acquired wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the Kansas City Chiefs for a pick swap of conditional 2025 seventh-rounders.

Smith-Marsette made eight appearances for the Chiefs and Chicago Bears in 2022, catching one pass for 15 yards. He has had a productive preseason, hauling in nine receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

The 24-year-old gives Carolina a little more depth at receiver ahead of the regular season.

Terrace Marshall Jr. suffered a back injury during practice earlier this month. A hamstring issue sidelined D.J. Chark Jr. for the Panthers' 26-17 loss to the Detroit Lions to close out the preseason. Laviska Shenault Jr. was out as well after having entered the NFL's concussion protocol.

The team might earmark a special teams role for Smith-Marsette as well. In his four years at Iowa, he returned 53 kicks and averaged 28.7 yards per return.

The 2021 fifth-round pick showed some promise coming out of college, with Bleacher Report NFL scout Nate Tice comparing him to two-time Pro Bowler Emmanuel Sanders heading into the draft. That he's already on his fourth team shows how that potential hasn't materialized.

The Panthers are in the midst of a rebuild, so they can afford to take a flier on Smith-Marsette, and joining a franchise that has little in the way of short-term expectations may be just what he needs to get his NFL career on track.