Carolina Panthers trade cornerback Daryl Worley to Eagles for wide receiver Torrey Smith

Per Adam Schefter’s Twitter account, the Panthers have jettisoned their third-year cornerback to Philadelphia in order infuse some speed into their wide receiver corps.

The trade is a curious one, as it appeared that by the end of the 2017 season, Worley was the Panthers’ best cornerback. Moreover, Torrey Smith hasn’t had a season where he’s produced ‘starting’ wide receiver numbers since 2013 with the Baltimore Ravens. The 29 year-old was essentially Philly’s fifth option in the passing game last year during their Super Bowl season, playing in all 16 games, catching 36 passes for 430 yards (11.6 ypc) and two touchdowns.

The trade leaves the Panthers extremely thin at the cornerback position. Projected starter James Bradberry will hopefully take a step forward after regressing in 2017. On the other side, the Panthers may like what they see in second-year pro Corn Elder, or they have a plan of attack in free agency or the draft.

Perhaps they are trying to clear the way to sign the recently-released Richard Sherman?