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.
Smith 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.
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