By any metric, the Carolina Panthers were a disaster in 2023. They traded up to select quarterback Bryce Young with the first overall pick, and then watched as No. 2 selection C.J. Stroud lit up the NFL with the Houston Texans. They hired Frank Reich as head coach with the idea that he’d help mentor their would-be franchise quarterback … and fired him after 11 games.
They hit the reset button once again during the offseason. The highlights: hiring Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as head coach, committing north of $150 million in free agency to overhaul the interior of the offensive line, and adding talent on the outside by drafting wide receiver Xavier Legette, and trading for Diontae Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Those new wideouts will team with top returning receiver Adam Thielen to give Young a much more talented group than what he dealt with as a rookie. While these moves portend marked improvement, nothing is certain, so let’s look at what we can expect from Carolina’s receivers in 2024.
