5 young Panthers players with big opportunities under Steve Wilks
By Dean Jones
Terrace Marshall Jr. – Carolina Panthers WR
To say Terrace Marshall Jr.‘s start to life in the NFL has been frustrating would be an understatement. The wide receiver hasn’t brought strong training camp performances into a competitive environment, with nagging injury problems something else that didn’t help his chances of making an instant impact.
Marshall was on Matt Rhule’s last nerve before his firing. Opportunities in the passing game were scarce at best, but couple the coach’s dismissal with Robbie Anderson’s trade to the Arizona Cardinals, and things are looking up for the 2021 second-round selection.
The former LSU standout was on the field for 84 percent of snaps on offense in Week 7. This only came with two receptions from three targets for 31 receiving yards, but it’s the biggest indication yet that more could be on the way for Marshall with Steve Wilks at the helm.
Again, this comes down to the player’s mindset more than anything else.
Marshall is probably all too aware of the pressure on his shoulders in the coming weeks. This could be the difference between starting in 2023 and the Carolina Panthers identifying the wide receiver spot as a position of significant need in free agency or the draft.
Only time will tell, and it’s hard to say with any confidence Marshall can thrive under Wilks based on what we’ve seen so far. But the wideout might be the one who benefits most from Rhule’s removal.