Update: The team is aware of the charges and will make no further statement on Smith’s pending legal matter, per a team spokesperson.
Shi Smith has been arrested in Union County for the unlawful carrying of a handgun and possession of drugs. These are serious charges, though there is no indication as yet to what his immediate future holds.
Smith is a second year receiver for the Carolina Panthers who was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft. The team has yet to respond to this situation but it is likely he will be facing some degree of suspension, if not outright dismissal from the team depending on how this story develops.