Former Carolina great Steve Smith unloaded on former Panthers and Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin earlier this week.
Smith described that he’s called a “jealous uncle” of sorts by some Panthers analysts for being too stern on the team’s current wide receivers, suggesting that Smith is hard on them because he views himself as a better player back in the day. Maybe that’s true, maybe that’s not, but in a conversation about Panthers wide receivers on WFNZ radio in Carolina this week, Smith ran Benjamin over.
After dismissing that claim, Smith reverted right back to it when giving his analysis on current Panthers receiver Curtis Samuel. Smith said that observers of the Panthers just need to pump the brakes on Samuel and “let him develop.” Smith then suggested the same folks should have done that with Benjamin…
… then, damn, Steve…
“There were people who said I was just a returner (out of college) and people who couldn’t wait to get him [Smith] out of here and Kelvin Benjamin will replace him,” Smith said. “Well… he (Benjamin) is parking cars now. So hold your horses…”
Benjamin’s career got off to a good start, then certainly tapered off, especially in Buffalo. During Buffalo’s 2017 playoff push, the Bills sent a third and seventh round pick to Carolina for Benjamin at the trade deadline. The former first-round pick of the Panthers never amount to much with the Bills, though. In 18 games in Buffalo, he had 39 catches on 89 targets for 571 yards and two touchdowns.
Benjamin last played in the NFL in 2018 with the Chiefs.
You still didn’t have to do him like that, Steve…
Although, many in western New York probably don’t hate this analysis.
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