4 Carolina Panthers who could benefit from Patrick Mahomes deal

Carolina Panthers Player No. 3: Curtis Samuel (WR)

What comes next in the career of Curtis Samuel is entirely up to the player. He showed some enormous promise in 2019 after a frustrating start to life in the NFL. And things might have looked even better for him had it not been for inept quarterback play missing some open looks.

There are so many ways that Samuel can be used by the Carolina Panthers. His potential with the ball is limitless. And one would be hard-pressed to find reasons why he is not going to thrive in Joe Brady’s offense.

The Panthers reportedly fielded plenty of calls from NFL teams who were looking to acquire Samuel via trade during the NFL Draft. They ultimately decided to hold onto their No. 3 wideout option. And this may back them into a corner next spring if the player makes further strides in 2020.

Samuel is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and will be paid a base salary of $1.22 million. If he can increase his importance to the team next season, then a big-time deal might be in the offing.

The former second-round pick out of Ohio State might decide that his future lies elsewhere. One suspects that Samuel will not want to be a No. 3 receiver for much longer. And the prospect of a more prominent role on the outside with another organization might be a tempting proposition.

Carolina could put the franchise tag on Samuel to prevent him from leaving. But that would command a bigger annual salary than he is probably worth at this point. This situation could become very tricky in the coming months if the receiver produces the goods on the field once again.