Panthers News: Matt Corral, Cade Mays, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Sam Mills
By Dean Jones
Laviska Shenault Jr. on Carolina Panthers roster bubble?
Position battles will be fierce as the competition increased following a busy offseason of recruitment. While some places seem sown up, others remain wide open and the Carolina Panthers won't make anything official until training camp and preseason games come to a conclusion.
After sacrificing D.J. Moore to land the No. 1 overall pick, bringing three new faces into the wide receiver room to offset this loss was smart. What this means for those already around is undetermined, but Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer hinted that Laviska Shenault Jr. might be on the roster bubble heading into camp - albeit on the good side.
"[Laviska] Shenault is the type of versatile weapon who could excel in a gadget role for Panthers head coach Frank Reich. The former Jacksonville Jaguar has worked for seven NFL head coaches entering his fourth training camp, and Reich might be the one to finally unlock his versatility at the top level. Shenault needs to show that he can handle his own package within the offense. If he shows improved route running from last season, he should earn a job and an upgraded role. Like Corral, Shenault is on the better end of the bubble. He simply needs to perform well in camp to make the roster."
- Mike Kaye, The Charlotte Observer
It would be a bombshell if Shenault didn't make it onto the 53-man roster. Frank Reich praised the former second-round selection earlier this offseason and looks set to utilize him in a variety of ways within a more expansive offensive scheme, something that could be similar to the way Deebo Samuel is deployed by the San Francisco 49ers.
Shenault is likely going to be the team's gadget offensive weapon. It would take a pretty drastic regression to change this narrative.