General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales have a nice problem brewing at wide receiver. There is strength in depth, with the Carolina Panthers relying on youth to keep their trajectory pointing up after winning the NFC South title in 2025.
But one team reporter added further weight to the growing claims around David Moore's roster aspirations.
After spending much of last season on injured reserve, the Panthers gave Moore another one-year deal this offseason. It didn't come with any guarantees regarding his spot, but his strong start to Carolina's preparations for the new campaign has not gone unnoticed.
Carolina Panthers reporter throws more weight behind David Moore's roster claims
Darin Gantt of the team's website discussed the wideout battle a little deeper in his recent mailbag. He acknowledged that some places were firmly sewn up, making it more difficult for everyone else. He also thought Moore's longstanding association with Canales could potentially give him the upper hand.
"Once you consider (Tetairoa) McMillan, (Jalen) Coker, Xavier Legette, and Chris Brazzell II, that leaves one or two spots for Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr., John Metchie III, Ja'seem Reed, and others to fight for. Competition is good, and that applies to those first four names as well.
"Also, I'll believe Dave Canales has a roster without David Moore when I see it. He has dragged him from Seattle to Tampa to Charlotte for a reason, and that reason is he is reliable and smart and makes plays."
As Gantt stated, there is a reason Moore has stuck around.
He has Canales' complete trust. He leads by example and has proven himself dependable — both on the offensive rotation and as a special teams force. That carries a ton of weight, so it'll be on others to turn the tide and alter perceptions over training camp and the preseason.
Moore isn't the flashiest player, and he's been an easy scapegoat for fans. But the belief in the building has not wavered.
In fact, it's only getting stronger.
The former East Central standout must keep the same urgency throughout the summer. John Metchie III, Brycen Tremayne, and Jimmy Horn Jr. will also be striving with everything they have to earn places on the team. Moore is off to a good start, but it will count for nothing if it cannot be built upon.
Moore is an obvious favorite of Canales. Trust like this is built over time, and with the Panthers looking to defend their NFC South championship in 2026, it counts for a lot.
What that means for others remains to be seen, and there will be many twists to come. But it would be a shock if Moore's name wasn't on the 53-man roster.
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