Steve Smith is happy with new Panthers offensive coordinator Pro Football Talk reports that Smith's contract now puts him among the five highest-paid receivers in the league, along with Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Javon Walker and Deion Branch.
Smith is worthy of being among the league's highest-paid receivers right now, but I'm not sure I agree with the Associated Press description of the contract as "a deal that will keep him with the team through the 2012 season." He'll be 33 by the time the 2012 season rolls around, and NFL contracts that seem fair to both sides when a player is in his 20s often seem unfair to either the player or the team by the time the player is in his 30s. For now, though, Smith is one of the league's top receivers and one of its best compensated.




