Just weeks after paying an enormous, yet reasonable price to trade up from No. 9 to the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers may be on the verge of making two big additions to their roster in free agency.
Now that D.J. Moore has been shipped to Chicago, the Panthers’ need for a No. 1 receiver has become one of their biggest weaknesses. Once they make their QB choice with the top pick, the Panthers won’t have another selection until No. 39. While there may be several pass-catchers available with either the 39th or 93rd picks, rookies are far from proven and sometimes take a year or two before they begin to flourish.
In turn, the Panthers could look to sign a receiver who can help their young rookie QB right away instead of going through expected growing pains.
If so, there are a few wide receivers who could quickly make an impact in Carolina. The Panthers have already brought in two-time Pro Bowler Adam Thielen for a visit, and they’re said to be considering a contract agreement with the 33-year-old receiver.
Yet, ESPN notes the Panthers could also look to add Thielen and another top free agent wide receiver. Specifically, they named D.J. Chark, who also has one Pro Bowl appearance under his belt, along with a 1,000-yard season back in 2019.
What’s even more intriguing about Chark is that he’s still just 26 years old and measures in at 6-foot-4, giving the Panthers another large, quick target to pair with Terrace Marshall Jr.
ESPN’s report notes the Panthers could be looking to add both Pro Bowl receivers to their roster this offseason. If so, it would nearly complete the team’s skill position group, with Laviska Shenault Jr. also lingering on the depth chart. This would be in addition to their backfield led by Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard.
While we’re still over a month away from learning who will quarterback coach Frank Reich’s Panthers team next year, Carolina at least appears to be willing to bring in all the talent necessary to compete in a wide-open NFC South.