5 pleasant surprises from the Carolina Panthers 2022 season

Terrace Marshall Jr. – Carolina Panthers WR

• 28 catches
• 490 receiving yards
• 1 touchdown

Terrace Marshall Jr. rarely played in 2021. Expectations were that he would be a bench player under Matt Rhule, and things looked that way through the first six games of 2022.

But once Steve Wilks took over and started utilizing his talents, the LSU product impacted the offense in a positive way. To the surprise of many that follow Carolina Panthers football.

Marshall was finally allowed to show off his potential. A good sign for a Carolina team who needed someone to step up after the Robbie Anderson debacle against the Los Angeles Rams and the subsequent trade that sent him to the Arizona Cardinals.

D.J. Moore is a surefire No. 1 wide receiver. But the Panthers needed a second option to step up and Marshall was that player late in the campaign.

Even though he did not have a lot of production, Marshall’s presence allowed Moore to have additional space and one-on-one matchups. The former second-round selection also made a number of contested catches throughout the season for big plays.

The lack of separation against cornerbacks is still a weakness. However, his ball skills and physical attributes make Marshall a good No. 2 receiver.

Despite the lack of playing time in 2021 and in the first six games of 2022, Marshall showed a lot of promise. That, in addition to another year of development and consistent playing time, can raise his production to another level in 2023.