Wide Receiver Steve Smith Sidelined For Two Weeks With Shoulder Injury

NFL News - August 11th, 2009 - Written by Ryan Smith

All 32 NFL teams have started OTA's and mini camps with in the last few weeks, and some teams, like the Carolina Panthers, are already experiencing significant injuries. During practice Monday night, wide receiver Steve Smith and corner back Chris Gamble, collided with one another on a 40 yard pass to the side line. The practice was the second of the day, and the team was not wearing pads or performing tackles during the drill, but the legs of Smith and Gamble tangled up and both players fell to the ground with some amount of force.

Smith finally raised from the tangled mess, and quickly began to favor his right shoulder, he took off his helmet, and kicked it across the field before walking over to a training tent nearby. Smith was treated for a quick minute before getting carted off the field and taken to the medical center inside, Smith underwent X-rays, and was notified later that the results came out negative. It is still unclear if Smith will be taken to Charlotte North Carolina for further test. Steve Smith's agent told reporters yesterday after the incident that Smith will be out a minimum of two weeks for the injury, the Charlotte Observer reports. "Steve has a high threshold of pain, and he's in a lot of pain, so somethings off-kilter," Smith's agent Fox told the News paper according to the report.

The Panthers have experienced other injuries, such as starting defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith's favorite fan, knows how important Steve Smith is to the passing game. Since joining the team, Smith has a total of 51 touchdowns, a Carolina Panther franchise record. The Panthers hope Smith wont be side lined to long, as his deep pass catching ability opens up the running game for Deangelo Williams, and Jonathan Stewart. Smith is one of the toughest players in all of football, so we will likely see him on the field again soon. For all fantasy football players don't let this injury scare you away from drafting Steve Smith just yet. Last year Smith missed the first two games of the season do to a suspension, and still managed to catch 78 passes for over 1,400 yards and 6 touch downs last season. The only wide receiver in all of NFL football to average over 100 passing yards in a game last season.

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