The Panthers should rid themselves of Dwayne Jarrett

CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 03:  Dwayne Jarrett #80 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates a first-half touchdown during the game against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium on January 3, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

If Dwayne Jarrett was still at USC and he was arrested for driving while impaired, the tone of this article would be entirely different.

But Jarrett isn’t a kid anymore and it’s high time he stops acting like one. Since coming into the league as a second round pick in 2007, he’s posted numbers similar to that of a seventh rounder that is primarily used on special teams.

In three years and four games, he’s racked up 35 receptions for 428 yards and a whopping one touchdown. Many pundits projected him as a first round talent in ‘07, yet apparently the real surprise is not that he fell into the second round, but how he was drafted at all.

If you remember correctly, this isn’t the first time Jarrett has been arrested for drunken driving. He was also hauled in for a DWI in March of 2008, so a suspension is likely forthcoming from the league.

But the Panthers shouldn’t wait – just cut him and move on. If he were still at USC, I would implore Pete Carroll (or Lane Kiffin, or whomever) not to give up on him – to keep the structure of football in his life. But this is clearly someone who doesn’t have the focus, determination or decision-making to be a full-time player in the NFL. Only 35 receptions on the field and two DWIs off it prove that.

Carolina is trying to rebuild on both sides of the ball and they don’t need distractions like this when they’re already 0-4. Not from a Pro Bowler, and certainly not from a player that hasn’t earned the right to be on a NFL roster.

Maybe a wake up call is what he needs. Maybe Carroll could get through to him in Seattle. Either way, the Panthers should ensure he’s not their problem anymore and just move on.

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The fallout from Steve Smith’s broken arm

Is it just me or am I the only one that thinks it’s hilarious that Steve Smith broke his arm playing in an adult flag football league over the weekend? It’s not funny that he broke his arm for the second time in less than 10 months or that he’ll miss all of training camp, but just the thought of having to play against him in a flag game is humorous to me.

“I OWNED YOU ON THAT PLAY!”

“I know you did – you’re Steve f***ing Smith. You play in the National Football League and I play on weekend’s for Mike O’Shannon’s Pub & Grille.”

Truth be told, how he suffered the injury isn’t that important. While it certainly could have been avoided had he not been playing in a meaningless game of YMCA flag football, at least he wasn’t riding a motorcycle without a helmet or driving home drunk after a night at the strip club. He could have suffered an injury weight lifting, playing basketball or even golfing at a teammate’s charity event.

Either way the arm is still broken. Assuming he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, he should be ready to go by the first week of the regular season.

But while the injury isn’t a long-term concern (at least not right now, anyway), it does have a ripple affect for Smith and his teammates.

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