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Panthers: Assessing the roles of the team’s new wideouts

By Danny Jaillet

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 9: Jarius Wright #17 of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled by Charles James #31 of the Houston Texans after completing a pass during the second quarter of the game on October 9, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 9: Jarius Wright #17 of the Minnesota Vikings is tackled by Charles James #31 of the Houston Texans after completing a pass during the second quarter of the game on October 9, 2016 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /
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The Carolina Panthers offense got a makeover. What will the finished product look like?

Tuesday, James Parks of 247Sports put together a segment assessing the top questions for the NFC South as the teams prepare for training camp. The Carolina Panthers were no exception to this list. The question posed their way was how they would go about integrating their new receivers in what was an offensive makeover in the offseason.

"Earlier this offseason, quarterback Cam Newton took to Instagram to indicate that the Panthers should be interested in literally any receiver coming up in the draft. The team listened, selecting former Maryland wideout D.J. Moore in the first round. But they didn’t stop there, trading for veteran Torrey Smith and adding Jarius Wright, adding to a rotation that already features Devin Funchess and second year receiving back Christian McCaffrey. How the depth chart will eventually look remains a wide open question, but one thing we know is that the Panthers will have more and better talented options on the field this summer."

If I has to guess, Torrey Smith is going to be a focal point of the offense. It should be easy to integrate him as he and Devin Funchess are two veteran wideouts who will have to lead the way for the Carolina Panthers. I do not really see him being a “specialist” type of wideout used in only certain situations.

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I see him being used in every capacity possible. Smith should be the main weapon for the Carolina Panthers when Funchess is being blanketed by the defense or having a rough game. When Funchess is on, Smith should be the valued secondary weapon that should not go underutilized. Either way, Smith should see the field a lot. He is ranked as the top left-side receiver per the most recent depth chart from OurLads.com.

Jarius Wright should be your specialist. After all, they do not call him “Mr. Third Down” for nothing. Wright excels in high-pressure situations. Out of the group listed above, he should be the Carolina Panthers defined specialist. In this case, that is not a bad thing. Some players thrive as a specialist and Wright has done so throughout the course of his career.

His role in Minnesota did wonders and he found his niche there. He probably will not see the field as much as a guy like Smith, but he should at least see situational action. Per the depth chart from OurLads.com, he is ranked as the No. 4 left-side receiver behind Daimere Byrd, D.J. Moore, and Smith.

D.J. Moore is in an interesting situation of his own. The former Maryland product was drafted No. 22 overall for a reason. The Carolina Panthers think he can be one of the team’s next great playmakers. Normally, a rookie’s role would not be that big.

Per the depth chart from OurLads.com, he is currently the No. 2 left-side wideout behind Smith. Clearly, the team expects big things from him and if his collegiate play is any indication, he should deliver.

I would expect him to see the field often and come out in certain situations i.e. a Hail Mary package or to run a play when the team needs to gain ample yards in a hurry. He has the speed to make an impact after the catch. Quite honestly, it’s hard to predict a role for him. All I can predict is that he will have a hand in helping the dynamic Carolina Panthers offense.

Next: Three bold predictions for Greg Olsen

It will be easier to predict how the trio will function within the offense once camp ends. If one thing is certain, it is that the Carolina Panthers now have plenty of weapons at their disposal.

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