Fred Graves, Pete Hoener Join Panthers' Coaching Staff as Assistants

Filed under: Panthers, NFC South

The Carolina Panthers hired wide receiver Steve Smith's college coach on Monday. Smith is on his last legs in the NFL so it is safe to say Fred Graves was hired because of Fred Graves, not Steve Smith. At least, that seems to be logical, we think.

Graves worked for the last four seasons in Tennessee for Jeff Fisher, which gives Graves immediate credibility. He has been a wide receivers coach in the NFL the last 10 seasons and before that was at the University of Utah for 19 seasons.

Graves, 60, should still have some influence over Smith, who will weigh his options as a free agent once the labor strife is over. Smith's numbers have declined the last two seasons and he took some shots during the 2-14 season at rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

The Panthers need him back. One significant reason Smith's numbers have declined is poor quarterback play the last two seasons. Carolina is trying to rebuild its wide receiver corps with young talent: Brandon LaFell, David Gettis and Armanti Edwards.

Head coach Ron Rivera also hired Pete Hoener as his tight ends coach, which was also significant because Hoener coached one of the premier tight ends in the NFL, San Francisco's Vernon Davis.

 

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