4 players feature in Week 2 stock-watch from Panthers’ camp
By Dean Jones
DOWN: Keith Kirkwood – WR
Keith Kirkwood’s stock has gone down this week through no real fault of his own. The wide receiver suffered a broken clavicle during a team drill that will require surgery. And this a real shame for both the player and the Carolina Panthers.
The wideout did have a chance of staking a claim for his fair share of targets next season. He is familiar with the scheme being implemented by offensive coordinator Joe Brady from their time together with the New Orleans Saints. But his chances have diminished significantly thanks to this injury.
Carolina is absolutely loaded at the receiver position. And their options were further bolstered with the signings of Tommylee Lewis and Marken Michel in the aftermath of Kirkwood’s injury.
The NFL is full of hard-luck stories such as this during the offseason period. But if Kirkwood can recover quickly from his surgery, then all hope is not lost.
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Much will depend on how other wideouts perform in his absence during the early stages of the campaign. And if they end up failing to meet expectations, Kirkwood could be given a chance to prove his worth in a competitive setting.
His lack of time on the field in 2019 is another worry. Kirkwood and the Panthers were hoping that he could become something of a wildcard for them in terms of production. But given the strength of receiving options available to the organization. It is hard to envisage a way into the rotation for the player.