Panthers have decisions to make to shore up, maximize potential of receiver room
On paper, the Panthers have one of the more loaded wide receiver rooms in the NFL.
Carolina is among the teams that have invested the most top 25 contracts and either Round 1 or 2 draft capital at wide receiver. The Panthers’ investment in the position is comparable to the Jets, Cardinals, Dolphins, Chargers, Cowboys, Bucs, Packers, Bears and Bills.
The Panthers spent a 2018 first-round pick on DJ Moore. He’s compiled three-straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Besides Moore, the group underachieved in 2021.
Robby Anderson is the 18th-highest paid wide receiver, and Pro Football Focus rated him 154th among 200 qualified receivers this past season. Carolina drafted Terrace Marshall last year in Round 2 — the rookie caught 17 passes in 13 games.
Meanwhile, the Chargers, Cowboys, Bucs, Packers, Cardinals and Bills all feature top 13 passing offenses, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. (DVOA measures a team’s efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.) In comparison, the Panthers finished last in passing DVOA despite Anderson’s top 20 contract, and high draft selections of Moore and Marshall.
Carolina’s offense was a mess in the 2021 season. Coach Matt Rhule fired former offensive coordinator Joe Brady late in the year and named senior offensive assistant Jeff Nixon interim play-caller. The offense did not improve. The Panthers finished 30th in the league in total offense last season and 29th in points per game.
Changes followed. Rhule hired former New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator and brought in new offensive line, wide receiver and tight end coaches. It’ll be on Rhule’s new staff (and specifically McAdoo) to re-establish Anderson as a playmaker while unlocking Marshall’s potential and building upon Moore’s three explosive seasons.
Here’s a look at what’s next for Moore, Anderson, Marshall and the other receivers on the roster:
Extending DJ Moore?
Last April, the Panthers exercised Moore’s fifth-year option. Similar to quarterback Sam Darnold, Moore is under contract for the 2022 season at about $11 million. (Darnold will make nearly $19 million.)
The Panthers and Moore’s agent are in the infant stages of working out an extension. According to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, Carolina has made Moore’s camp aware of the time frame in which the team would like to get a deal done. If both sides can agree to a number within the Panthers’ preferred time frame then a deal could get done.
However, a few factors could delay an extension for Moore. The first is Moore’s likely asking price. This season, Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton signed a four-year, nearly $61 million extension that averages about $15 million per season. Sutton is the 17th highest-paid receiver in football, making $250,000 more annually than Anderson.
Sutton (No. 40 overall) and Moore were both drafted in 2018. Sutton has one career 1,000-plus yard receiving season, while Moore has eclipsed 1,000 three straight years. That means he’ll likely demand more than Sutton, which could make him a top-10 paid receiver, if not top five.
Moore is worth the money. He’s nearly as dynamic as All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. In 2020, his 18.1 yards per reception ranked third in the NFL behind only the Packers’ Marquez Valdes-Scantling (20.9) and Nelson Agholor (18.7), then with the Raiders. His numbers regressed in 2021, along with the entire Panthers offense. But after seeing how the 49ers turned Deebo Samuel into a dynamic dual-threat player, there is reason to believe Moore can be deployed as a similar weapon considering his comparable skill set.
Another issue: The Panthers have more immediate needs at offensive line and quarterback. Carolina might be more comfortable addressing those needs first before extending Moore.
Can Robby Anderson bounce back?
Anderson had one of the worst seasons among qualified pass catchers, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking 154th of 200 receivers. Last offseason, he signed a two-year, $29.5 million extension after posting a career year of 95 catches for 1,096 yards and three scores. He caught five touchdowns in 2021, but his receptions (53) and yards (513) dropped by nearly 50% despite him starting 16 games.
Anderson failed to reconnect with Darnold, a development that Panthers coaches did not anticipate. Carolina then started P.J. Walker and Cam Newton at QB before reverting back to Darnold. All the change hindered Anderson’s productivity. The Panthers expect Anderson to bounce back next season, especially since he’s due nearly $15 million.
Despite the poor quarterback and offensive line play, Anderson deserves some blame for his lackluster production. He dropped far too many passes and did not win consistently enough in man coverage.
If Anderson has another underwhelming season under McAdoo, there is a potential out in his contract. Carolina could cut Anderson following 2022 and only face about $4 million in dead cap, saving them about $11 million.
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Is Terrace Marshall Jr. a bust?
Carolina selected Marshall 59th overall (Round 2), and his 2021 began with some preseason promise. But Marshall eventually was lost in the turbulence of the Panthers offense. Parlay that with the hardships most rookies experience, and it’s easy to understand why he was targeted only 30 times all season and a healthy scratch four times.
His athleticism stood out during OTAs and training camp. He has the size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) and hands to develop into a player worthy of multiple contracts.
For those reasons, the Panthers remain high on Marshall. They view him as a future three-position receiver, capable of thriving as an outside target, slot receiver or a zone-busting in-breaking target. Rhule and McAdoo must prioritize developing Marshall into the player those in the front office believe he is.
Panthers WRs under contract
▪ DJ Moore: Entering final year of rookie contract
▪ Robby Anderson: Entering first year of 2-year, $29.5 million extension
▪ Terrace Marshall Jr.: Entering second year of rookie contract
▪ Shi Smith: Entering second year of rookie contract
As a rookie, Smith showed he can create instant separation. Next, he must fine-tune the craft of playing slot receiver. He needs more releases and moves to get open in different ways, rather than always relying on pure speed. He and Marshall are both facing important offseasons.
Becoming a reliable punt returner would also help Smith separate himself from his peers. He was such a talented player at South Carolina that the Gamecocks did not ask him to return punts. As a pro, it would benefit Smith to became the Panthers starting punt returner.
▪ C.J Saunders (1-year, $705,000)
Saunders signed a reserve future contract with the Panthers at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
▪ Aaron Parker (1-year, $705,000)
Parker also signed a reserve future contract with the Panthers at the end of the 2019 season.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
