According to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN, the Carolina Panthers are meeting with free agent defensive end Chris Smith today.
Smith was a fifth-round pick by the Jaguars back in the 2014 NFL draft. He put in three years in Jacksonville, followed by one in Cincinnati. He’s played for the Browns the last two seasons.
In 60 games in the NFL, Smith has totaled 8.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles. Carolina probably sees him as a potential backup piece, as he’s only started twice in his career.
As for the rest of the team’s EDGE rotation, last year’s starters Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin are both 32 years old and are about to become free agents, so they probably won’t be coming back. Brian Burns will take one of their spots as a full-time starter in 2020, but there’s no clear No. 2 on the roster right now.
