News & Info/Headlines

Panthers head coach John Fox announced on Saturday morning that wide receiver Steve Smith has been suspended for the first two games of the season for punching cornerback Ken Lucas on the sidelines during Friday's training camp practice in Spartanburg.

Fox went on to explain that Smith's actions would not be tolerated and that Smith has been given conditions for the future regarding such behavior. Fox also said Lucas suffered a broken nose.

Smith's agent, Derrick Fox, said he spoke with his client after the incident and that Smith realized the serious nature of the incident.

"He said he made a big mistake," the agent told Rock Hill Herald staffer Darin Gantt.

In case you missed it, teammates and staff members had to separate Smith and Lucas after the players' sideline altercation turned ugly Friday in training camp. While training camps often include shoving matches between teammates, this one occurred on the sidelines and after both players had taken off their helmets in a break for starters during a special teams drill.

According to an Associated Press report citing two people who were standing on the sideline, Smith was complaining that Lucas was grabbing him and clutching his jersey throughout the play, and Lucas was angry because Smith clubbed him in the back in retaliation.

Both went to the sideline after the play, and the jawing continued back and forth. Then with Lucas on one knee, Smith rose and punched him in the face, triggering the scrum.

Pro personnel director Mark Koncz was among the first to try to break it up, but he was quickly thrown out of the way. Linebacker Jon Beason eventually pulled Smith out of a pile of teammates, some of which seemed ready to get back at Smith.

When the players were finally separated, Lucas was taken to the tent between practice fields to be tended to by assistant trainer Reggie Scott. At the same time, Fox was angrily scolding Smith as practice continued.

Lucas walked to a tent, holding a hand to his face while accompanied by a trainer. Smith was then escorted there by receiver Muhsin Muhammad to talk to Lucas.

"Steve was probably a little remorseful for what happened," Muhammad said. "He was trying to apologize, so I was walking with him just to be there."

After that, Smith talked with kicker John Kasay for a few moments. Kasay's one of his trusted advisors on the team. Smith then went to a tent, where team chaplain Mike Bunkley stood with him.

Before practice ended, general manager Marty Hurney escorted Smith off the field.

When practice ended, Fox called the team together for a long meeting, and the purpose was clear. With tempers running high, Fox told his players there would be no retribution.

"I truly, truly don't anticipate this having a lingering effect on this team," Jake Delhomme said. "We were talked to, things were squashed, that was it. It happened. There will be no retaliation by anybody on anything.

"When you look at the schedule, we don't play the Panthers this year. We've got to be smart when we're out there."

Delhomme admitted he was disappointed that Smith would be involved in such an incident, but tried to keep the focus forward when asked about the possibility of a suspension.

"We don't know what's going to happen or anything," the quarterback said. "But this team can't stop. This team has got to keep going on.

"You know what? We are the Carolina Panthers. Does he make us better? Yes."

Unfortunately, it won't make them better the first two games (at San Diego and against Chicago in Carolina) of the season. Nor will it help Fantasy owners hoping Smith would maximize his potential with Delhomme back under center this season.

In his (nearly) three games with Delhomme last season, Smith had 16 catches for 281 yards and four touchdowns. In the 12 games thereafter (he missed one game with a bruised shin), Smith pulled in 71 catches for 721 yards and three TDs.

So there was plenty of reason for optimism. I would suggest there still is -- and that sharp Fantasy owners can use this to their advantage. While a two-game absence will dent Smith's Fantasy totals to some degree, it's not a total disaster.

Remember: Smith missed two games to injury in 2006 and still pulled in 83 passes for 1,166 yards and eight touchdowns. And despite the missed game (and Delhomme's absence) last year, he hauled in 87 passes for 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns.

Expecting similar totals this year wouldn't be a reach. That being the case, Fantasy owners can adjust their projections accordingly and avoid overpaying for Smith come draft day.

But avoiding overpaying doesn't mean avoiding altogether. ....

Meanwhile, the two-game absence could benefit fellow wideouts Muhammad, D.J. Hackett and perhaps Dwayne Jarrett to some degree. But projecting their potential benefits is a much trickier proposition than projecting the impact on Smith.

You'll want to watch their workload in coming weeks to better determine what kind of changes -- if any -- this development will have on their overall Fantasy value.