5 extremely early bold predictions for the Carolina Panthers 2023 season

Carolina Panthers WR Terrace Marshall Jr. breaks 1,000 yards

It’s been a difficult first two seasons as a pro for Terrace Marshall Jr. A mix of injuries and incompetence from the previous head coach meant for the first 22 games of his NFL career, the wide receiver was a non-factor - but that could soon change in 2023. 

Once Steve Wilks took the reins last season, Marshall showed signs of being the player the Carolina Panthers hoped for when they drafted him No. 59 overall in 2021. Through the final 10 games of the season, the one-time LSU star found the end zone for the first time as well as tallying up 460 receiving yards in that period - a stark improvement from what we’d seen previously. 

With the previous quarterback play in Carolina being amongst the worst in the league, having Bryce Young under center in 2023 will only elevate the likes of Marshall. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he’s just the big-bodied receiver a signal-caller can target in the red zone.

D.J. Moore is now with the Chicago Bears, so there’s potentially more scope for Marshall to have a bigger role in the offense working with new wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. The scheme devised by Frank Reich and Thomas Brown represents another likely positive working in the player's favor.

The pressure is on for Marshall with rookie Jonathon Mingo waiting in the wings. But I expect the wideout to respond and break the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 2023 - proving to the front office he can be a long-term WR1 for Young.