Ihmir Smith-Marsette headed back to the Panthers.
Dan Morgan and Bryce Young’s Carolina Panthers front office are not yet done with their NFL Free Agency moves. A crucial part of constructing a roster is familiarity which means bringing players back from previous years. This creates more chemistry and often leads to better production. With new additions like Diontae Johnson and Damien Lewis, Dave Canales needs someone for the kick return unit. This is why the squad seems to be bringing back a certain player they received from Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
While there have been no official monetary details dropped, it is reported that Ihmir Smith-Marsette will stay with the Panthers, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. They will keep him with a one-year deal. Notably, Dan Morgan let the wide receiver hit unrestricted free agency and chose not to tender him. But, all signs point to him strengthening the Panthers’ air attack with Diontae Johnson and Bryce Young.
Despite not playing many snaps with the 2022 Chiefs, Smith-Marsette has a good idea of what a winning culture looks like. Moreover, he can get a lot of advice in running routes from Johnson. This Panthers weapon has a lot of potential and just needs to be targeted more to prove that he can revert back to his days as a star in Iowa.
What the Panthers are getting back
Smith-Marsette plays a big role in the Panthers special teams and kick return unit. He led the NFL in returning 37 punts for 322 yards last season. In one of those plays, he even notched a touchdown. This wideout is not just good at returning balls for the offense. He has also shown promise in being a route runner when given the chance. Smith-Marsette caught the ball for eight receptions for 51 receiving yards last season. This got the Panthers an average yardage of 6.4 per catch.
Now, there is no certainty if he will become part of the weapons that Young uses next season. However, his untapped potential mixed with the new veterans joining the Panthers through NFL Free Agency is likely to help his production increase by next season.
