Dating back to the beginning of the month, there’s been a bit of buzz surrounding the Carolina Panthers’ search for a fresh wideout. But given their 0-6 record and a disposition to relinquish any more high-end draft capital, don’t count on a big splash before the trade deadline.
They could, instead, go through the bargain bin of free agency—a possibility recently mentioned by both Josina Anderson of CBS Sports and Joe Person of The Athletic. So, who’s still sitting out on the open market?
As long as you promise to temper your expectations throughout this post, we’ll present three free-agent receivers who may make some sense for the Panthers.
T.Y. Hilton
Specifically mentioned by Person on Sunday, Hilton could bring a bit of familiarity for head coach Frank Reich. Reich, of course, crossed paths with the four-time Pro Bowl pass catcher in Indianapolis from 2018 to 2021.
Hilton, most recently, appeared in five games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022—where he reeled in 10 grabs for 159 yards. The soon-to-be 35-year-old obviously isn’t that all-star we saw with the Colts, but he still has a little speed left in the tank for some much-needed explosive plays.
Jarvis Landry
From a four-time Pro Bowler to a five-time one, Landry is another interesting veteran name.
For one, we know he’s a reliable possession guy—as he accumulated at least 72 receptions and at least 101 targets in every season from 2014 to 2020. (You won’t see 2021 and 2022 in there because they were injury-shortened campaigns.)
And Landry’s gotten those looks because he knows how to gain separation, most notably on underneath routes. The Panthers probably wouldn’t mind getting rookie quarterback Bryce Young some more easier and open throws, especially since he’s one of the best at hitting them already.
Sammy Watkins
Yeah, yeah, we know what you’re thinking. When’s the last time Watkins was even good, right?
Well, it’s a fair question if you have it—as he visited the end zone as many times as he did a locker room over the past three seasons. But there may be something left in the ol’ Clemson kid.
Watkins averaged 3.1 yards of separation in 2021 and 3.6 in 2020, which would be more than any pass catcher is currently doing in Carolina. And perhaps he and his solid career average of 14.8 yards per catch can cook up some lengthy plays for the Panthers.
