How journeyman WR has become unsung hero for Carolina Panthers since trade deadline
When the Panthers traded Diontae Johnson to Baltimore and Jonathan Mingo to Dallas earlier this season, it was thought that rookies Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker would need to step up immediately. And while both of those young playmakers followed through, for the most part — as the team has won two of its past three games — it was another wide receiver who served as the calming presence within the offense during that stretch.
Two-time Pro Bowl wideout Adam Thielen returned last week for the last-second loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but it’s actually journeyman David Moore who has done a lot of the heavy lifting during the Panthers’ recent string of solid outings.
Over the past three games, Moore has made consistent big plays for Carolina, collecting 10 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets.
With Mingo and Johnson elsewhere, and Thielen (hamstring) and Coker (quad) exchanging time on the sideline due to their respective soft-tissue injuries, Moore has been a constant on the field as head coach Dave Canales’ offense has begun to hit its stride.
Moore, 29, has also been a key figure behind the scenes as Canales looks to set his culture within the locker room.
“It’s his approach, and I think, his mentality,” Canales said earlier this month. “He sprained his MCL probably six weeks ago (in September). He didn’t miss a practice, he didn’t miss a single game, he still plays on special teams, and does those things, so I think, just showing that kind of toughness, and what it takes to have success in this league — the guys can kind of see, ‘Oh, so we just kind of play when we have things to work through.’ So, he’s been a great example in that regard.”
The Dave Canales connection: Give him Moore of that
Moore has bounced around the league quite a bit. He has been with Canales at the head coach’s two other NFL stops, Seattle and Tampa Bay, and the pair of forged a working relationship that has stretched the entirety of Moore’s career.
Canales was the Seahawks’ wide receivers coach when Moore was drafted in the seventh round by Seattle in 2017. The pair worked together for four years in Seattle before the wideout signed with Carolina for the first time in 2021.
Despite signing a two-year deal, the 6-foot, 219-pound receiver only lasted his initial summer with the Panthers as then-head coach Matt Rhule released him before the regular season.
From there, Moore jumped from Las Vegas to Denver to Green Bay to Chicago over the next two seasons. He eventually reunited with Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik — who served as the Buccaneers’ wide receivers coach last year — in Tampa Bay last season. The duo then brought Moore back to Charlotte this offseason.
Given that experience with Canales and Idzik, Moore has become a sounding board for the younger wide receivers.
“He knows our system, so he knows the little nuances of what we’re trying to ask the guys,” Canales said. “So, he can offer some of that wisdom, too.”
Unselfish and available
Moore has also been supportive of the younger guys in front of him.
Coker, an undrafted rookie from Holy Cross, has been one of Moore’s favorite players to watch grow. When Coker scored his first touchdown in Denver, Moore was elated for him, even as the Panthers hit pay dirt late in a blowout loss.
“Every time I see him make a play, a catch, it fires me up,” Moore said in October after the loss to the Broncos.
But Moore also fires up his teammates and coaches.
Moore has caught critical passes from second-year QB Bryce Young in the red zone in back-to-back games, and those catches have led to touchdowns for the offense. Even as the Panthers look to replace Mingo and Johnson, and battle through injuries, Moore has been Mr. Reliable for the group.
“It’s his work ethic, it’s his availability — that’s been, I think, the greatest thing I’ve learned about David over the years, is he finds a way to be out there on the field and he works at it, and he knows what he needs to prepare himself for Sunday, and he makes sure he gets that done,” Canales said this week.
“He’ll grab an extra coach, he’ll spend a little extra time doing this or that, getting his body ready for practice,” Canales continued. “He takes practice very seriously. He’s been doing special teams stuff. He’s been playing different positions from an offensive standpoint for us, and having the familiarity in our system allows him to do that. And then a guy you can just count on. On those critical third downs, in those pass situations, it really gives confidence to the quarterback, in this case, Bryce, to know that David’s going to be where he’s supposed to be at the right time and to show up big on a couple of those plays.
“Just a guy that I love, that I’ve always been really fond of.”
While Canales is thrilled to have Moore as part of the receiver group, the front office has to feel good about his involvement, too.
Mingo and Johnson have totaled three catches for 16 yards on 15 targets in seven combined games with their new teams. Moore, meanwhile, has significantly outpaced them in combined catches, yardage and even touchdowns since they left town ahead of the trade deadline.
As an impending free agent, Moore has put together a strong stretch as an unsung hero, and he will look to continue that output in the final six games of the season, including against his former team, the Buccaneers, on Sunday.
This story was originally published December 1, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
