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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) -- Carolina Panthers All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith looked sharp Tuesday in his return to practice after missing more than two weeks with a strained hamstring.
Smith caught three consecutive passes, including a deep throw down the middle, at one point in morning practice.
"He jumped right in and took off just like he's been there every day," said wide receivers coach Richard Williamson.
Smith, who led the NFL with 1,563 receiving yards last season and helped the Panthers reach the NFC championship, showed no sign that the hamstring still bothered him.
"When he comes out to practice or to play, that is what makes him great -- that competitive drive inside that he wants to be the best," quarterback Jake Delhomme said of Smith, who finished tied for the league lead in receptions (103) and touchdown catches (12).
It remained unclear if Smith would play Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"I never like when anybody is on the shelf, but sometimes you've just got to do that to get the guy healthy," coach John Fox said. "We are trying to get ready for a full NFL season, so we're going to be very cautious."
Fox said Smith might have been able to come back sooner, but the team didn't want to risk further injury.
"You have to be medically smart," Fox said. "You understand that each one of these guys is different. They have their own personality. They have their own tolerance for pain. Sometimes you have to pull the reins in and sometimes you have to get the spurs out. But in his case, it's more that you have to pull the reins in. We were cautious about when to let him out."
Smith has turned down interview requests since the first day of training camp. He said through a team spokesman Tuesday he doesn't want to talk until after he plays in a game.
Smith strained his hamstring July 30, the second day of training camp, while running a route along the left sidelines. He missed 22 practices, but the Panthers coaches are confident he'll be ready for the regular season.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-08-15-06 1349MDT
