Smith shipped to Carolina for Penn Charter’s Worley
The Eagles were at it again Friday, finalizing another offseason trade that will send wide receiver Torrey Smith to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Daryl Worley.
Worley, 23, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft out of West Virginia, is a Philadelphia native by way of William Penn Charter, where Matt Ryan matriculated. The news broke on the NFL Network. A league source wouldn’t deny the trade.
Smith was due $5 million in base pay this season. Worley (6-1, 198) has 25 starts with two interceptions, two sacks and 19 pass breakups in two seasons.
The deal won’t be official until March 14. There also could be contract restructuring for Smith.
Earlier this week the Eagles sent a fifth-round draft pick and little-used receiver Marcus Johnson to the Seattle Seahawks for defensive end Michael Bennett and a seventh-round pick.
Smith never was the reliable deep threat the Eagles hoped for. He was fourth on the team in receptions, with 36, fifth with 11.94 yards per catch and with two TDs, tied for fifth.
Smith led the Eagles with four drops last season, a conservative number. He was targeted 67 times. But Smith had an outstanding postseason with 13 receptions, including a handful of key grabs.
The 2011 second-round draft pick out of Maryland was the ultimate team player throughout the season, sharing his experience, strength and hope with the younger receivers. He should fit in perfectly with an extremely young fleet of Panthers receivers.
In seven seasons covering 108 games, including 100 starts, Smith has 302 receptions for 4,951 yards (16.4 average) and 39 touchdowns.
After Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor, the Eagles have Mack Hollins, Shelton Gibson, Bryce Treggs and Greg Ward on the depth chart at receiver. Look for the position to be addressed in the April draft.
On paper Worley appears to be very much like Rasul Douglas (6-2, 209), the West Virginia cornerback the Eagles took off the board in the third round last year. Douglas intercepted two passes — one thrown by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton — and broke up 14 passes in 14 games as a rookie.
According to NFL.com draft profiles, Worley ranked among the national leaders with six interceptions and 12 breakups as a true junior before entering the draft. Worley sat out the Cactus Bowl due to academic issues. He was suspended two games the previous season, per NFL.com, after being accused of assaulting a woman outside of a nightclub, allegedly in support of his girlfriend. Worley reportedly pleaded no contest and received a six-month suspended sentence.