ORLANDO, Fla. Cheap Nike Air Jordan 11 . - The Carolina Panthers believe Steve Smith lost "top-end" speed, a big reason the franchise parted ways with its all-time leading receiver. Speaking publicly for the first time since cutting Smith two weeks ago, Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday they had to "move on eventually." "He didnt lose his speed," Rivera said at the NFLs annual meetings. "He lost his top end. Steve still fought and would still find ways to make plays. But as far as the football decision goes, we have to move on eventually. This was an opportunity to do it." Smith wasnt unemployed for very long. He signed a three-year contract with Baltimore about 24 hours after the Panthers released him. Rivera said the desire to give young receivers Marvin McNutt, Tavarres King, Brenton Bersin, Kealoha Pilares and Toney Clemons opportunities factored into the decision. "With Steve around, they may never get that chance to develop," Rivera said. Rivera also made it clear the Panthers intend to select a receiver in the NFL draft in May — and hopefully replace Smith. "The thing we have to all understand is that eventually its going to happen; its inevitable," Rivera said. "In this game, its inevitable. A lot of great ones have moved on and gone on and played a couple of more years somewhere else. For us (Rivera and GM Dave Gettleman), this is a very hard decision. I know Dave anguished over it for several days before the decision was made, and we had a lot of discussions about it. Its one of those things that you have to, at some point, make the move to go forward." The decision was not popular among Carolina fans. A third-round draft pick out of Utah in 2001, Smith made an immediate impact as a rookie, returning the opening kickoff of the season for a touchdown against Minnesota. He became the first Panthers rookie selected to the Pro Bowl, earning that honour as a return specialist. Known for his feisty behaviour on the field, Smith became a dominant receiver over the next 12 seasons. He ranks 19th in the NFL in career receptions. He caught 64 passes for 746 yards and four touchdowns in 2013. Smith is Carolinas leader in receptions (836), yards receiving (12,197) and touchdowns (67). As productive as Smith was, his fiery personality often rubbed people the wrong way, and some viewed him as a distraction in the locker room. Smith had run-ins with teammates on at least two occasions. He punched out fellow wide receiver Anthony Bright in a film room fight and later socked cornerback Ken Lucas on the field during a practice at training camp in Spartanburg, S.C. On both occasions, Smith was suspended by the team. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said they had few reservations about bringing in the 34-year-old Smith, even with his history and his age. "Chemistry is really important, and its something that I think every team should be working really hard to try it build," Harbaugh said in Orlando. "It starts with the type of person that you bring in as a coach and then as a player. But through our investigations, I guess you can call it, we came away feeling really good about the impact Steve is going to have on our team that way. "Hes a tough competitor. Hes a mature, grown man. Hes a family man. Hes a man of faith. I think the world of him." The Panthers signed veteran Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, giving them some experience at the position after releasing Smith and seeing Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn Jr. and Domenik Hixon leave in free agency. Rivera insisted the team will miss Smith, even though hes not the player he was in his prime. "Hes got a lot of football left," Rivera said. "Hes still explosive. ... He practices so hard. He competes so hard. I think hes at the point now where he has to manage himself and know that, Hey, I cant practice every day like that. "Steve has a lot to prove. Hes got that chip on his shoulder going forward. I know hes going to be 35, but I still know hes going to be a very competitive guy. Hes going to will himself to do some things. But I think as the season wears on, if he hasnt taken the time that hes needed off between the games, he might slow down. But he still has some gas in the tank." ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Real Air Jordan 11 . Even if he is shooting 38 per cent from the field overall this season, the Utah Jazz rookie always feels like his final shot is going in. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Free Shipping . Unlike last year when nobody got in, there have been estimates of as many as five getting voted in this time around and as few as one, Greg Maddux. http://www.cheapairjordan11.us/ . Zdeno Chara scored with 13 seconds left in regulation after David Krejci tied it late, lifting the Bruins to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night in a game that saw Orpik taken from the ice on a stretcher.OBERHOF, Germany -- Emil Hegle Svendsen of Norway won the mens pursuit at a biathlon World Cup for his second win in two days, taking advantage of Ole Einar Bjoerndalens mistakes at the final shooting station on Saturday. Svendsen missed only one target and completed the 12.5-kilometre race in 34 minutes 47.7 seconds, beating his compatriot Bjoerndalen by 35.6 seconds. The 39-year-old Bjoerndalen -- a six-time Olympic champion and the sports all-time great -- led going into the final shoot but two missed targets. That allowed Svendsen, who beat his teammate by 0.4 seconds in Fridays sprint, to claim his 33rd career World Cup win. "I did not come here thinking that I could win two times," Svendsen said. Overall World Cup leader Martin Fourcade of France was third, exactly 1 minute behind after missing three targets. "I had to be really perfect to beat Emil today and I was not. I thought I could beat Ole, but had some problems with my skis on the last lap and could not do it," said Fourcade, who maintained a comfortable lead in the standings. Svendsen was 139 points behind after eight events. Calgary native Macx Davies was 54th on Saturday. Also, Darya Domracheva of Belaruus won the womens 10K pursuit, finishing in 33 minutes, 35. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 Online. seconds to beat Finlands Kaisa Makarainen for the second time in as many days. Fridays sprint winner, Domracheva, started with a comfortable lead of 29.8 seconds over her rival, though Makarainen fought back to claim first position in the third shoot, only to miss two targets and let Domracheva pull away and claim her second victory of the season, by 34.6 seconds. Both missed three targets altogether. Norways Synnoeve Solemdal was third with two missed targets, 1 minute, 19.1 seconds behind Makarainen, while Tora Berger of Norway was fourth, also with two missed targets. Valj Semerenkos ninth-place finish was enough for the Ukrainian to join Czech skier Gabriela Soukalova atop the standings on 278 points after eight events. Soukalova was 26th after Fridays sprint but managed to claw her way back to 12th. Local favourite Andrea Henkel made up 21 places after a disappointing sprint to finish her last home pursuit in 16th. Henkel, a two-time Olympic gold medallist , is retiring at the end of the season. Claude Godbout of Valcartier, Que., was 55th. Mens and womens mass start races are scheduled for Sunday. ' ' '