With Devin Funchess moving on to the Colts in free agency, the Panthers have to add another name to the wide receiver room this offseason.
Since the team elected to bring back veteran Torrey Smith and pay him $5 million to play this year, we can safely assume they won’t be signing another wide receiver in free agency. However, picking one in the middle rounds of the draft is an idea that’s gaining steam. D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel should be headlining the group in targets, but adding another solid young receiver would give Carolina a great young core of three play-makers all on cheap rookie deals.
In a new four-round mock by Luke Easterling at Draft Wire, he has the Panthers picking Ole Miss wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge in round four with the No. 115 overall pick.
Lodge (6-foot-2, 199 pounds) posted 65 catches, 877 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season. Here’s the tape.
Lodge vs. LSU
Lodge vs. Texas A&M
Lodge vs. Auburn
Lodge has had issues with drops, but his skill-set would complement Moore and Samuel’s well. If he’s still there in the fourth round, he’s certainly worth considering.
