Bill Belichick has his eyes on another recent Carolina Panthers draft pick.
Per the league’s transaction wire, the New England Patriots officially had wideout Shi Smith in for a workout on Friday. This interesting little development comes right after they claimed quarterback Matt Corral, whom the Panthers placed on waivers this past Wednesday.
Buy Panthers TicketsSmith was one of three sixth-round picks by Carolina in 2021. He was also one of 11 total picks from that spring by former head coach Matt Rhule and company, who tied a franchise record for most selections in a class.
A Union, S.C. native, Smith attended the University of South Carolina from 2017 to 2020. There, he reeled in 174 passes for 2,204 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Over his two-year NFL career, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder has recorded 400 receiving yards and a pair of scores on 28 receptions. He was Carolina’s primary punt returner during the 2022 campaign, fielding 23 tries for a total of 143 yards.
Smith was waived this past week in the team’s cutdown to its initial 53-man roster.