Panthers legend Steve Smith shares what he tells every wide receiver he works out with

Carolina's best wide receiver of all time shares a lesson he learned from Vinny Testaverde.

Tim Weaver | Dec 13, 2024

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 22: Mike Garafolo and Steve Smith of NFL network talk prior to a game between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 22, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. / (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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Carolina Panthers

A lot goes into playing wide receiver at the highest level of the game. It's difficult to overstate the importance of exact and thorough route running, though. High-quality route running is what makes undrafted veteran Adam Thielen the best wide receiver on the Carolina Panthers right now, even though he's competing for targets with a first-round draft pick and a handful of other receivers who are all younger and more athletic than he is.

Route running is also why we still believe rookie Xavier Legette can develop into something special - he obviously has work to do at the catch-point but he's consistently been able to gain separation. That all-critical element helped make Steve Smith the greatest receiver in franchise history, and Smith understands it as well as anybody.

On his most recent podcast, Smith imparted a lesson that he learned from his six games playing with long-time veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde in 2007, the last year of his career. Smith says he shares this with every wide receiver he works out with.

Steve Smith on Vinny Testaverde's lesson

"He said every route you run, I don't care how you do it. If it's a inside route you must finish on the inside. If it's a outside route - outbreaking route - out, post, corner, comeback - you must finish on the outside. When he told me that, and I tell guys this today, when we do our little workout sessions... behind closed doors I tell guys this, and they kinda look at me, like people in the comments will say - that's so simple. Yes, it's so simple. And yet, there's so many guys who don't do it. Whatever the route is, you must finish."

As good as Thielen looks and as good as Legette may yet turn out to be, the Panthers clearly need to upgrade this unit. Getting Jalen Coker a larger role when he returns to the lineup is probably the best move they can make for the rest of 2024, but in the offseason they have to be willing to spend some real cash in free agency and use some serious draft capital to make sure that they're giving Bryce Young the receiver corps he needs to take the next step forward.