Carolina Panthers' Plan to Help Steve Smith at Wide Receiver Already in Trouble

The already sad state of the Carolina Panthers' passing game has just gotten worse.  A QB competition between rookie Cam Newton and last year's worst-rated passer Jimmy Clausen was bad enough.  Now comes the news that David Gettis, a developing second-year WR expected to compete for the No. 2 slot, is out for the year with a torn ACL.  The Panthers' plan to give All-Pro and always-doubled Steve Smith some help at receiver is now on life support.

David Gettis Is out for the Year with a Torn ACL

Gettis was not going to be mistaken for Randy Moss anytime soon, but he was a decent downfield threat who started most of the season last year and caught 37 passes for 508 yards and three TDs.  He and Brandon LaFell had almost identical stats and both were expected to step up this year.  Veterans Legedu Naanee and David Clowney would compete with other rookies as well as QB-conversion project Armanti Edwards for time at the position.  All this was supposed to take pressure off the running game and Steve Smith, who was constantly double-covered last year.

Naanee and Clowney Are at Best Role Players

Naanee, drafted in 2007 by San Diego, has three career TDs; Clowney has one.  Both were fifth rounders in the 2007 NFL draft and neither is even close to 100 catches yet.  Neither is any more than a limited role player.

Armanti Edwards Is a Head-Scratcher

Armanti Edwards, the ex-Appalachian State QB who is trying to convert to wide receiver, was only on the field for three games last year, and had no receptions.  Whether he will ever become a wide receiver, much less a threat, is a wide-open question, and that's not the kind of thing you want to say about a guy entering his second year in the NFL.  Someone in the Panthers' organization saw Wes Welker-like ability in the guy, but nobody else has seen it yet.

Brandon LaFell Now Locks Up the No. 2 WR Slot

Brandon LaFell is probably the best of the receiver corps after Smith and Gettis.  His stats were almost identical to those of Gettis last year: 38 catches, 468 yards, one TD.  So the Panthers will probably start the year with Smith on one side, LaFell on the other and whoever looks good that week filling in.  Sounds exactly like last year's worst-rated passing attack, doesn't it?  Smitty will again be looking at double-coverage all year.

The Tight Ends Might Help...

Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, both tight ends with good hands, were acquired in the offseason, so that might help the passing game a little.

But the Panthers Have Mostly Passed on Upgrading Their Passing Attack

The Panthers have declined to move any of their quality RBs, including last year's standout Mike Goodson, to try to obtain a quality receiver to take pressure off the running game and Steve Smith.

So the Bottom Line Is...

...when the Panthers strap it on against the Giants tonight, and for the rest of the season, DeAngelo Williams can plan on seeing eight defenders in the box, and Steve Smith can count on a cover corner in his face and a safety drifting to help.  It will be just like last year, when they had the worst passing attack in the league.