Now that the Carolina Panthers have whom they believe to be their franchise quarterback, they’re going to have to find him a franchise wideout to grow with. But is the answer on the roster?
Perhaps, but it’s not likely.
Buy Panthers TicketsTerrace Marshall Jr. is still trying to find a groove at the pro level and Jonathan Mingo, while incredibly intriguing, isn’t exactly a sure thing. Outside of them sit Adam Thielen and Laviska Shenault Jr., both of whom—in their own ways—don’t fit the bill.
So, without a clear answer on hand and no first-round pick in the upcoming draft, where can they find one? Well, how about on another roster?
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine recently named six potential trade spots for standout receiver Tee Higgins, who was unable to come to a long-term deal with the Cincinnati Bengals this summer. Ballentine, while making note of the potential between Marshall Jr. and Mingo, includes the Panthers.
He writes:
The Panthers have some promising young receivers who could eventually become better than they are right now. Terrace Marshall Jr. and Jonathan Mingo saw a combined 11 targets against Atlanta and have unmet potential.
But bringing in a receiver like Higgins would be a force multiplier in the receiver room. The attention that he commands would open up things for everyone else and give Young a true No. 1 receiver to rely on as he continues his growth.
The Panthers are currently projected to have $49.7 million in cap space in 2024, with defensive end Brian Burns and cornerback C.J. Henderson highlighting their in-house free agent class. They should be able to get Higgins in under the cap and raise the ceiling of Young and their offense considerably.
Higgins, a second-round pick out of Clemson University in 2020, has done nothing but produce in his NFL career. The skillful 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, in his three full seasons, amassed 215 receptions for 3,028 yards and 19 scores over 46 games.
And if he wants to spread those wings, become a No. 1 elsewhere and pump up those numbers even more, the Panthers could have some space in the near future.
