4 best-case scenarios for the Carolina Panthers in 2021 free agency
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers re-sign Curtis Samuel
This might be a long shot considering how much Curtis Samuel will be coveted on the free-agent market. But if the Carolina Panthers can somehow agree to an extension with the wide receiver and not leave themselves short financially to strengthen other areas, it would be a substantial boost for the franchise.
Samuel is coming off the best season of his career in 2020 where he went over 1,000 all-purpose yards for the first time. His dependability on third downs saw him become a favorite target of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and the player’s game-changing elusiveness was there for all to see during the campaign.
This is sure to attract plenty of suitors who need a dynamic weapon. Players with the skill set of Samuel don’t go on trees and realistically speaking, the Panthers face a real fight on their hands to keep the former Ohio State standout.
However, a recent article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano stated Carolina was looking to put together a package that might convince Samuel to remain on the roster. Much will depend on the money involved, but the benefits of keeping such a do-it-all weapon would be enormous.
However, it’s easy to forget that Samuel is the Panthers No. 4 option in the passing game behind D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, and Christian McCaffrey. Overpaying in the current climate is simply not up for discussion, so it is a precarious situation whichever way one looks at it.