4 positions the Carolina Panthers should not address in free agency
By Dean Jones
Wide receiver
It appears as if Curtis Samuel will be leaving the Carolina Panthers once the free-agent frenzy commences. The wide receiver played his way into the sort of financial bracket that the organization simply cannot afford after franchise-tagging Taylor Moton, so the hunt for a replacement is already well and truly on.
Samuel brought so much to Carolina’s offense in 2020, it will be hard to find a player in free agency that could match this at a reasonable price. Despite the eight percent cap reduction, there appears little doubt that teams across the league will still overpay to get their desired targets on board, which the Panthers should not do under any circumstances.
They have D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson as their stud outside duo, who both went over 1,000 yards receiving last season. Christian McCaffrey will be returning to full fitness and providing a stable catching presence out of the backfield, with the likes of Brandon Zylstra, Keith Kirkwood, and undrafted free-agent Omar Bayless also looking for more responsibility.
With that being said, adding another dynamic weapon in the 2021 NFL Draft is well worth considering. This might be as deep a class at the position as last year’s crop of college recruits, but there is still some exceptional value to be had once the top-tier guys come off the board.
Samuel will be sorely missed. However, overspending for a replacement shouldn’t be on the table.