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Panthers: For the receivers , balance is a key component

By Danny Jaillet

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 20: Jarius Wright #17 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball for a gain and a first down while Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears makes the tackle in the first quarter on December 20, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 20: Jarius Wright #17 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball for a gain and a first down while Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears makes the tackle in the first quarter on December 20, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /
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Having veterans at the wide receiver position will give the Carolina Panthers a major boost in 2018….

For the Carolina Panthers, the 2018 offseason was all about balance. Even though the team had a successful season last year, the front office knew they needed to improve the team with the hopes of winning the Super Bowl.

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Perhaps the biggest thing general manager Marty Hurney addressed in the offseason was on the offensive side of the football. He addressed the passing game, and gave it added depth and talent.  Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright were perhaps the two biggest additions to the passing game player-wise. One could argue offensive coordinator Norv Turner was the biggest addition overall, but just speaking from a player perspective, adding them to the roster may have been two of the most important moves of the offseason.

Head coach Ron Rivera said he wanted discipline and veteran leadership at the wide receiver position in an interview with a local news outlet Saturday.

"“We wanted some veteran guys who have a feel for what it takes,” Rivera said. “We knew we were going to add some young talent, but we needed some guys who were established to come in and help.”"

Hurney did not just add any veteran receivers to the meeting room. He added a two-time Super Bowl champion who is just 49 yards short of 5,000 for his career in Smith and a five-year vet known for making crucial catches in Wright.

Between the two of them, Smith and Wright have a combined seven years of playoff experience with 700 receiving yards and five touchdowns. While those are not astronomical numbers, they are a decent level of production.

In this way, the Carolina Panthers found balance in the offseason. They balanced out their receiving group, keeping the young guys while bringing in veterans that the younger guys can learn from.  Having a mix of players like this can only be a good thing.  Ideally, the younger wideouts will learn a lot from these two, which given the pedigree of the pair is a very good thing.

Next: For Damiere Byrd, time may be running out

Like in many other instances this offseason, Marty Hurney saw a need and addressed it. If everything goes according to plan, it will pay major dividends.

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