Getty Image / Scott Winters
The Carolina Panthers wide receiver room went through some big changes this offseason.
Star receiver DJ Moore was traded as part of the deal that got the Panthers the top pick in the draft.
To replace him, the Panthers signed Adam Thielen and DJ Chark and drafted Jonathan Mingo.
With a rookie quarterback and all of the new faces at wide receiver, the team clearly has some work to do in the passing game.
Yesterday, wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson said their wide receiver group is “under construction”.
— All Panthers (@AllPanthers_) May 19, 2023
“We are a group that’s under construction right now. That means everybody. We’re under construction,” Jefferson said via All Panthers’ Schuyler Callihan. “We’re trying to get the offense implemented, so we’re in the building process — the land-clearing process phase here. Everybody right now is in learning mode and trying to get used to what we want them to do. We’re finding out what guys can do. It’s part of our job as coaches to put it out there and see what these guys can do, then we can start building the blocks of how we want them, plug them in where we want them to be, and where they fit best according to their talent skillset.”
“Under construction” could just be another to say “not very good”.
Outside of Adam Thielen, the Panthers don’t really have many receivers with a history of being dependable and he is going to be 33 before the start of the 2023 season.
DJ Chark could be useful for them if he stays healthy and we don’t know what Mingo will be yet, but this team doesn’t have a ton to get excited about at receiver.
Maybe Bryce Young can help turn this wide receiver group into something good, but the Carolina Panthers haven’t given him a ton to work with in his rookie season.