5 dream wide recievers the Carolina Panthers should target to unlock Bryce Young
By Nick Halden
What dream wide receivers could the Carolina Panthers target in their aggressive search to find a primary weapon for quarterback Bryce Young?
Call it what it is - this is a lost season for the Carolina Panthers after an off-season full of selling the fans on winning now with a young quarterback. Something that's brought questions about whether those in power should have made the trade to land Bryce Young or if they should have jettisoned well-respected coach Steve Wilks for an offensive head coach in Frank Reich.
An offensive head coach who has done little early on to make what was a struggling offense anything but worse isn't a great look. Despite all of this, Panthers fans have hope that this season will prove to be productive with the team developing Young into a franchise quarterback and continuing to build a solid defense.
One of the focus points either at the end of the season or through the trade market should be adding a No. 1 wide receiver. For Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Jalen Hurts, the big jump in production happened when they were given a genuine difference-maker.
With D.J. Moore now with the Chicago Bears and no first-round pick in 2024, the Panthers are going to have to be creative to find that answer. And according to recent reports, going bold is the preferred approach from general manager Scott Fitterer.
Carolina Panthers should target Mike Evans
Yes, trading in the division is rarely an option. But with Mike Evans making it clear negotiations are done for the year and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' hot start, it appears the veteran will be hitting free agency next spring.
Evans has been the king of consistency. Whether it has been Jameis Winston, Tom Brady, or Baker Mayfield, all the wideout does is go out and pile up numbers.
He would be a great addition to the Carolina Panthers and give Bryce Young the No. 1 target he is clearly lacking. While paying an aging receiver is always a concern, the team has backed themselves into a corner. They lack the draft picks needed to add young talent to the position, leaving them no choice but to overpay in free agency or the trade market.
Adding a player that is going to help unlock your franchise quarterback is well worth a slight overpay. Carolina is well aware of what Evans can do - he may well be the Panthers' best and most realistic option.