The Carolina Panthers may have solved part of their long-term wide receiver picture. But as the 2026 offseason approaches, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the group still lacks one critical ingredient.
Speed.
That’s where Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed enters the conversation.
On paper, Carolina’s receiver room has promise. Rookie standout Tetairoa McMillan and emerging playmaker Jalen Coker give the Panthers a young, physical duo that could grow into a productive tandem. Beyond those two, the depth chart leaves much to be desired.
Xavier Legette’s struggles have put his long-term role in question. Jimmy Horn Jr. remains raw. David Moore is a free agent and may not return. Brycen Tremayne is primarily a special teams contributor.
Carolina Panthers need more speed, but Rashid Shaheed may be out of their price range
Rather than relying solely on the draft, free agency offers Carolina a chance to add a proven, established player who can immediately complement McMillan and Coker. Shaheed fits that description almost too perfectly. Whether they can free up enough funds to make a move is another matter.
Panthers fans don’t need a scouting report to understand Shaheed’s impact. During his time with the New Orleans Saints, he routinely punished Carolina both as a serious threat and on special teams.
Since being traded to Seattle, his legend has only grown. In the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers, Shaheed returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. And in two weeks, he’s about to play in a Super Bowl.
Joe Person of The Athletic noted that general manager Dan Morgan has openly acknowledged the need for a receiver who “can take a 5-yard catch and take it the distance, or make a few guys miss and come up with a big play.”
“Looking at the list of free-agent receivers, one name jumps off the board,” Person wrote. “Seattle Seahawks speedster Rashid Shaheed.”
Shaheed’s speed would force defenses to respect the deep ball, opening space underneath for McMillan and Coker, while his elusiveness provides Bryce Young with a reliable outlet capable of creating offense on broken plays. Just as importantly, he would immediately upgrade the Panthers' return game, which has lacked juice for years.
Of course, none of this comes without a price.
Spotrac projects Shaheed’s next contract to exceed $14 million annually. Even further, the Seahawks may ultimately decide they can’t afford to let him walk, especially given his importance to their postseason success. If they do, Carolina would almost certainly face a competitive bidding war.
Still, the value proposition is hard to ignore. Shaheed wouldn’t just be another receiver; he’d be a stylistic counterpunch to Carolina’s current pass catchers and a rare player capable of changing games in an instant.
For a Panthers team searching for speed, explosiveness, and proven playoff experience, Shaheed represents exactly the type of bold free agent swing that could take this offense to the next level.