NFL Trade Rumors: Is WR Steve Smith a Good Fit for the New England Patriots?

Believe it or not, wide receiver Steve Smith suiting up as a New England Patriot in 2011 wouldn't be as shocking as you may think.

Over the past few months or so, it's been made clear that Smith is certainly disgruntled as a member of the rebuilding Carolina Panthers, which causes speculation of being on the team's trading block.

Joseph Person, of the Charlotte Observer, speculates that the Panthers would be willing to deal Smith away for a third-round draft pick—something that Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots could definitely spare. 

New England currently sits with two picks in each of the first two rounds of the 2012 draft and has one third, fourth and fifth-round draft pick—definitely more than enough pieces to play with. 

Smith, who just turned 32 this past May, will be entering his second to final year of his contract with the Carolina Panthers with a total salary of $14.75 million (roughly $7 million per-year).

The playmaking wide receiver may come a bit pricey, but Smith would certainly be a nice weapon to have in Tom Brady's already talented arsenal.

By just taking a quick glance at New England's receiving corps, their top two wide receivers, Wes Welker and Deion Branch, are almost carbon copies of each other—they're both small, shifty, but effective receivers that do well in short-to-intermediate distances. Smith, on the other hand, may only be 5'9", but has the ability to stretch the field, while being able to turn a five-yard slant into a 25-yard gain.

Smith played a total of 14 games last season for the Panthers and reeled in 46 passes for only two touchdowns, as it was his worst season of a starter since 2002—but one can only assume that Smith has much more left in his tank, as he's in search of a Super Bowl title. 

Belichick and New England definitely have the draft picks to trade for Smith, but may also have a few younger players that might get the deal done—i.e. Brandon Meriweather, Dustin McGowan, Ron Brace and Brandon Tate, just to name a few. 

Once the NFL lockout is lifted, which is expected to be in a few weeks, I'd expect that more and more trade rumors will circle around Steve Smith and the New England Patriots. 

This article was first seen at PatriotsPlus.net. Be sure to follow Tony Santorsa on Twitter @   TonySantorsa.