Curtis Samuel proved to be Panthers emerging weapon in 2018

The Panthers caught a glimpse of what a healthy Samuel looked like in 2018.

We all know that the Carolina Panthers have a talented wide receiver in Curtis Samuel. As 2018 showed however, Samuel is more than just a pass-catcher. He proved himself as a running back in some situations and managed to make a sizable impact there. That was refreshing to see.

Situations like that also made Samuel a Swiss Army knife of sorts for the Panthers. It seemed like they knew they could count on one trait of his. That would be his speed. In certain packages, he would come out of the backfield as a running back and be able to get to the edge with ease. In what could be considered a dynamic offense with so many playmakers, Samuel tried to deliver explosive plays every time he touched the football. We saw him be able to deliver the type of skill set he possessed while a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

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It was especially refreshing to see him play at a high level after coming back from injury. Heading into the off-season, we weren’t sure what Curtis Samuel would appear. Would it be the one nervous to make any major cuts or quick routes due to his injury? Alternatively, with the rehab he did during the off-season, would that allow him return to his normal form or perhaps allow him to be even better?

The answer to the question was (when he got playing time,) he was back to his normal form. He would finish the year with 39 catches for 494 yards and five touchdowns. We saw that the type of speed he had before the injury. He looked like himself again, and that is great news for the Panthers. My only regret is that Ron Rivera did not play him more. Together, Samuel and D.J. Moore provided a tremendous one-two punch for Carolina. In addition, they gave us a glimpse of what the future may look like. 2019 may be a tremendous year for the both of them.

Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com summed up what Samuel brought to the table nicely in his year-end review on the second-year player. If anything, it reaffirmed the fact that Samuel is extremely talented.

"Despite ranking fourth on the team among wide receivers with 39 catches, Samuel paced the group with five receiving touchdowns and also scored twice on run plays. Perhaps he only scratched the surface of what he can do, but that type of per-play production will help the Panthers regardless of how many snaps Samuel earns in the future."

There is no doubt that Curtis Samuel has talent. He just needs to be sure to focus up this off-season and build on what he produced in 2018. There were some very good things to come out of the season for Samuel, and if he can advance his skills to the next level, the Panthers may have a bona fide weapon on their hands and dangerous receiving corps to boot.

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