Carolina Panthers: Five Moves to Turn Around 2014 Season

Acquire Oakland Raiders’ WR Denarius Moore

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The supposed availability of 25-year old wide receiver Denarius Moore has been floated around the league for almost a year now.

There’s no doubt that the talent and production is there for the 6’0″, speedy fourth-year Oakland Raider.  Moore lit up opposing defenses to the tune of 17 touchdowns during his first three seasons in the league.  Capable of playing on the outside, or in the slot, Moore is a homerun threat anytime the ball is in his hands.

The recent trade of Percy Harvin made me wonder how ideal it would be to have a player of Harvin’s skillset lining up in this offense.  Harvin’s lockerroom presence and diva-esque attitude turns me off, so that’s why I feel Denarius Moore would be a solid grab.

Moore lacks Harvin’s overpowering speed, but the former’s speed is nothing to sneeze at.  Moore can burn a defense deep, kill them with YAC on a smoke route or bubble screen, and has a nose for the endzone.

Benjamin is Carolina’s WR1 and is dominating the sidelines and quick slant routes, but he is not a deep fly-route kind of player yet.

Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant duplicate each other too much for my liking, and if Moore was acquired, I’d like to see one of them cut.  Two aging, sure-handed veterans that are high-end WR3’s on most teams, does not inflict fear in most defenses.

Giving Cam Newton a receiving unit of Benjamin-Cotchery-Moore-Bersin-Brown offers every attribute needed for a passing offense to excel.  Youth, height, veteran leadership, speed, and sure hands surround this refined group.  A sixth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft should secure Moore’s services for 2014, as he is in a contract year.