4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering the 2023 season
By Dean Jones
Terrace Marshall Jr. - Carolina Panthers WR
With D.J. Moore not around after those in power deemed him a necessary sacrifice to secure the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, someone else needs to step up. The Carolina Panthers don't have an obvious primary pass-catcher within their wide receiver room, which could result in a committee approach until one or two individuals prove otherwise.
If there was ever a time for Terrace Marshall Jr. to step up and prove his worth, this is it. The third-year wideout flashed moments of quality once Matt Rhule finally got canned, but another frustrating injury during the summer means it could be another slow burn to begin the campaign.
Marshall is working hard to feature in Week 1, but the Panthers will likely take things easy with the former second-round selection considering how much time he's missed. However, the physical pass-catcher needs to put together a breakout campaign in the biggest possible way looking at the current state of affairs.
If Marshall and others don't make the grade this season, then the Panthers will find people who can give Bryce Young every chance to thrive. Putting a consistent run of games together is the first step - which should hopefully come with bigger numbers with the promise of more targets.
The pressure is on Marshall more than most to finally start fulfilling his potential. His athletic intangibles are absolutely off the charts, so it would be a big shock if he didn't emerge into a dominant force.