Antonio Brown is the biggest fish available to teams looking to boost offensive production this offseason. Could he be a good fit for the Carolina Panthers?
That’s something to chew on after legendary NFL writer Peter King floated the idea.
In his weekly column for Pro Football Talk, King listed five teams he thought could make a play for Brown: The Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins.
Concerning the Panthers, King wrote that new owner David Tepper “is motivated to inject new life into a 24-25 team since Carolina’s Super Bowl appearance three years ago. Though G.M. Marty Hurney is a conservative type by nature, I think he could be convinced to take a shot on this get-rich-quick scheme. It’d thrill Cam Newton too.”
Of those five teams, personally I’d rule out the Bucs due to what new head coach Bruce Arians has said recently about Brown. Of the remaining four, the most intriguing option is certainly Carolina. The Panthers have long struggled to give Cam Newton the kind of receiving talent he needs to truly thrive.
Of course, Newton also needs serious help up front on the offensive line. That’s been a big issue over the course of his career as the Panthers have continually failed to provide adequate protection for their franchise passer. Free agent Daryl Williams should be a priority, and the team also needs to decide whether to try and retain center Ryan Kalil or go younger.
Back to Brown, there’s no doubt that adding his considerable talent to Carolina’s offensive attack would be a huge boost. Still in the prime of his career at the age of 30, Brown is clearly one of the league’s most complete and dangerous receivers. He’s averaged 114 catches for 1,524 yards and 11 touchdowns per season the past six years.