Tag: Ihmir Smith-Marsette

Panthers not expected to tender TE Giovanni Ricci

As is the case with WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette, TE Giovanni Ricci will not be tendered by the Panthers.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette is about to be joined on the open market by a familiar face.

According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Carolina Panthers will not tender tight end Giovanni Ricci—who is set to enter free agency next week. Person also confirmed an earlier report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who noted that Smith-Marsette will not be tendered by the team as well.

Ricci and Smith-Marsette entered the 2024 offseason as restricted free agents, which gave the Panthers a bit of control in terms of their next deal. But today’s reported decisions make both players unrestricted free agents, giving them the right to sign away to another team without having to wait for Carolina to potentially match any offers.

Originally a fullback, Ricci entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers in 2020. The Western Michigan product eventually transitioned to tight end, where he’s amassed nine receptions for 102 yards over the last two seasons.

[lawrence-related id=692595,692586,692572]

Panthers not expected to tender WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette is about to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Carolina Panthers are likely to make Ihmir Smith-Marsette a true free agent.

According to ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the team is not expected to tender the three-year wideout. If that is indeed the case, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent next week—opening him up to sign with any team at any time.

Smith-Marsette entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, which would’ve given Carolina the power to match any offer he received elsewhere. The tender would have cost the Panthers nearly $3 million for the upcoming campaign.

The 28-year-old provided a few rare instances of excitement for the Panthers during a dreadful 2023 season. He recorded a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as well as an electric 20-yard rushing score against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16.

Fowler also noted that Carolina and Smith-Marsette are open to a new deal.

[lawrence-related id=692572,688276,692493]

4 pending free agents the Panthers should re-sign in 2024

It’s probably a good idea for the Panthers to keep these four pending free agents around in 2024:

For the second time in as many years, the Carolina Panthers are in the middle of building something new. So which players should stick around through the transition?

Here are four of the team’s pending free agents who should be re-signed this offseason:

Full list of 2024 Panthers free agents

The Panthers currently have 26 players slated for free agency in 2024.

Things have changed a bit since the last time we brought you this free agent list.

A few weeks back, the Carolina Panthers held on to a few of their own—re-signing tight end Stephen Sullivan and defensive linemen Nick Thurman LaBryan Ray to fresh deals.

So, let’s take an updated look at the team’s pending 2024 free agents.

4 Panthers receive All-Pro votes for 2023 season

Four Panthers players got some recognition on this year’s All-Pro ballots.

The Carolina Panthers didn’t have a single player land on either of the Associated Press’ 2023 All-Pro teams. But they did have a handful who garnered a bit of recognition.

This year’s results showed that four Panthers received at least one vote from the panel of 50 national media members. The players who got some love include defensive tackle Derrick Brown, running back Raheem Blackshear, wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and long snapper JJ Jansen.

Despite setting a new single-season record for most tackles by a defensive lineman (103), Brown finished sixth amongst all interior defenders—a group led by Los Angeles’ Aaron Donald and Kansas City’s Chris Jones. The fourth-year wrecking ball, who also led his peers in stops (53) and run stop win rate (47 percent), received one first-place vote.

Blackshear and Smith-Marsette were considered for their production on special teams. Blackshear, who got two second-place votes as a kick returner, averaged 26.9 yards per attempt. Smith-Marsette, the owner of two first-place votes as a punt returner, fielded a league-high 37 tries with one touchdown.

[lawrence-related id=689276,689270,689265]

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ 2023 season

PFF’s best and worst grades for the Carolina Panthers in 2023

Pencils down, players!

With the 2023 test officially over, let’s see which Carolina Panthers received the highest and lowest grades from Pro Football Focus.

2024 free agents who may be playing their final game for the Panthers in Week 18

Week 18 may mark the end of an era for a few Carolina Panthers players.

Sunday will not only represent the end of a brutal 2023 season for the Carolina Panthers, but it may also mark the end of a few eras.

Here are 23 pending free agents who could be playing their last game for the Panthers in Week 18:

*List excludes pending free agents who are on the practice squad, who are on injured reserve and who have been ruled out

Top takeaways from Panthers’ snap counts in Week 16 loss to Packers

The Panthers may have themselves a new starting right guard and a pair of exciting weapons on offense to close out the 2023 season.

Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers may have been a tough pill to swallow for the Carolina Panthers, but it resulted in a few positive steps forward.

Here are the top takeaways from the Week 16 snap counts:

Panthers fans react to team’s first TD in 3 weeks

The Panthers snapped their long touchdown drought with a nifty run from WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

The Carolina Panthers may be bad, but at least you can’t say they’re not festive!

In what may have been a nod to the 25 days of Christmas, the offense went 25 straight possessions without a touchdown—a run that began back in Week 14. And fortunately for the Panthers, that drought ended this afternoon—and on Christmas Eve, no less!

On their third touch of the game, the unit took up all of four minutes and 28 seconds to construct an eight-play, 77-yard trek to the end zone. The trip was topped off by an electric 20-yard run from wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Here’s how Panthers fans basked in the timely and joyous score: