5 recent Carolina Panthers departures who were missed most in 2021
By Dean Jones
Curtis Samuel – Former Carolina Panthers WR
There was absolutely no way the Carolina Panthers could afford what Curtis Samuel ended up getting from the Washington Commanders in free agency. The former Ohio State star went over 1,000 all-purpose yards at just the right time in 2020 and this was enough for his old head coach Ron Rivera to shell out big bucks to get the player on board from his previous employers.
This left a gaping hole in Carolina’s offensive game plan. Something that rookie Terrace Marshall Jr. was unable to fill after the second-round pick became a relative afterthought with little in the way of targets.
Couple this with Robby Anderson’s regression and it’s not hard to see why Samuel’s been missed. An ultra-consistent pass-catching presence out of the slot who came up with some important third-down grabs during his final season in Carolina.
Had Samuel stayed around, then it would have been a huge help to the Panthers and quarterback Sam Darnold. Even though the wideout managed just five games last season due to injury, there remains hope he can become a major factor for Washington in 2022 and beyond.
Players with Samuel’s unique skill set are hard to find. The Panthers didn’t have the financial means to keep him around and it’s a problem area that needs to be resolved at the earliest possible opportunity.