Cat Crave
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Departure of wide receivers coach interesting move for Panthers

By Danny Jaillet

CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 22: A statue in the snow at the home stadium of the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on January 22, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. A major snowstorm is forecasted for the East Coast this weekend with some areas expected to receive up to 1-2 feet of snow. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 22: A statue in the snow at the home stadium of the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on January 22, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. A major snowstorm is forecasted for the East Coast this weekend with some areas expected to receive up to 1-2 feet of snow. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Panthers let go of the wide receivers coach on Friday.

One of the first major dominoes has fallen in the 2019 Carolina Panthers off-season. Wide receivers coach Lance Taylor will not return in 2019 according to multiple media reports. This news was first reported by Alex Marvez of SirusXM NFL Radio.

Taylor has worn a few hats during his coaching career. First, he started as an assistant wide receivers coach with the Panthers in 2013. His next coaching stop was at Stanford, where he coached the running backs. Coincidentally, Christian McCaffrey was also there. Taylor worked closely in the development of McCaffrey in the collegiate ranks. He then would follow the running back to Carolina as he assumed the role of wide receivers coach in 2017.

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At first glance, I am a little surprised that Taylor is the first one to go. If anything, I thought the wide receivers did a great job in 2018. Where there things they needed to improve on? Sure. Particularly with D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel developing with added playing time, there were a few bumps in the road. Even still, they looked great. There is certainly a lot of talent and potential between those two players.

As a unit, the wide receivers did not do too poorly. Christian McCaffrey was the leading receiver with 100 receptions for 867 yards and six touchdowns. Rookie D.J. Moore was second on the team with 55 receptions for 788 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Funchess rounded out the top three with 44 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers may be a bit down compared to what many initially thought he would do in the 2018 season. All things considered, those are not terrible numbers. If anything, these numbers speak to the multiple available options the Panthers have as a team.

It’s no secret that the Carolina Panthers offense had problems in 2018, but the wide receivers were not the pressing issue here. I am wondering if players did not get along with Taylor or if there was a lack of communication between him and the players. That would be my thinking process here.

Next. 2018 Defense, Special Team Performance. dark

Now, the question is who will replace Taylor? There are a couple of names I have seen floated around that would not be bad candidates. At the end of the day, it is up to the Panthers to decide who would be best to lead a young, emerging unit. I just hope they make the right decision.

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