Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith believes that the Panthers have gotten better this offseason, according to The Charlotte Observer. "With those two (receiver) acquisitions and with some of the big guys on the offensive line -- the rookie (tackle Jeff Otah) -- offensively, I think we finally made an upgrade," he said Thursday. "Compared to the years prior when we had some guys come in, and as those guys have left we really hadn't replenished. And we have finally, and I can honestly see a big difference." The team signed receivers D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad.