For much of Cam Newton’s NFL career, the Panthers wide receiver corps has been on the shallow end of the talent pool. With the exceptions of the great Steve Smith and tight end Greg Olsen, Newton usually hasn’t had a true No. 1 receiver option worthy of the title.
Going into 2019, that’s not the case. Carolina is loaded with a good mix of youth and experience at receiver and has strong options both outside and in the slot. D.J. Moore will see some occasional snaps there, but here are the main contenders to play the slot this season.
Other Panthers 2019 training camp position battles: free safety // backup quarterback // backup running back // slot cornerback // left tackle // left guard // kick and punt returners.
Jarius Wright
2018 stats: 16 games, 59 targets, 43 catches, 447 yards, one touchdown
As you’ll see, the Panthers have plenty of quality slot receivers on the roster. Wright has the most experience of the bunch, though. He also has a leg up on the competition because he’s already established a connection with Newton. Last year, Wright proved to be a trustworthy security blanket on third downs. He posted 25 first downs on 43 catches last year.
Chris Hogan
2018 stats: 16 games, 55 targets, 35 catches, 532 yards, three touchdowns
While Wright has the experience, Hogan has the edge when it comes to size. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he’s the biggest wide receiver on the roster in 2019. More importantly, Hogan is an expert at getting open: last year he led all wide receivers by averaging 4.1 yards of separation at target. That quality is something Carolina has been missing for a while and will give Hogan a chance to carve out a significant role in the passing game.
Terry Godwin
2018 stats: N/A
The Panthers threw a couple of curveballs late in the draft this year, picking up Florida running back Jordan Scarlett in the fifth round and Georgia wide receiver Terry Godwin in the seventh. Like Wright, Godwin is a crisp route runner and has soft hands. His play strength and small frame could be problematic in the pros, though. Godwin will probably not see much playing time until Wright is no longer around.
Aldrick Robinson
2018 stats: 14 games, 35 targets, 17 catches, 231 yards, five touchdowns
Robinson was part of the team’s flurry of solid under-the-radar free agency moves this year and is the wild card of the group. He’s been an effective and underrated passing weapon wherever he’s played, even excelling despite Kirk Cousins struggling for much of last season in Minnesota. It will be interesting to see what kind of role offensive coordinator Norv Turner has in mind for him going forward.
