Panthers Exercise Torrey Smith’s Option

The Panthers have exercised Torrey Smith‘s option for the 2019 season, ensuring the veteran wideout will return to Carolina next season, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets.

Carolina acquired Smith, now 30 years old, from the Eagles last offseason in exchange for cornerback Daryl Worley. He’s due to collect a $5MM base salary in 2019, but the Panthers could have moved on without absorbing any dead money onto their salary cap, as Smith has no guarantees remaining in his deal. Smith will now reach free agency during the 2020 offseason.

Smith missed five games due to a knee injury last season, appearing in only 11 games while making six starts. He was targeted just 31 times on the year, hauling in 17 of those targets for 190 yards and two touchdowns. Smith has never been a volume receiver, but he hasn’t topped 12 yards per reception since 2015, and hasn’t posted more than 40 catches since 2014.

The Panthers are expected to let free agent wideout Devin Funchess walk this offseason, so Smith could be in line for more snaps. He’ll play alongside 2018 first-round pick D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Jarius Wright.

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