NFL Free Agency rumors: Panthers linked to Super Bowl-winning WR
The Carolina Panthers have turned the page this offseason, hiring former Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich.
Offensively, the Panthers had the fifth-fewest receiving yards last season (3,246). The team could look to the free agency market to add a wide receiver to bolster their passing game. Arjun Menon and Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus note that Super Bowl-winner JuJu Smith-Schuster could be a target for Carolina.
Menon and Spielberger said:
"The former second-rounder will still be just 26 years old for the first half of the 2023 season, his seventh in the league, and earned a 72.2 receiving grade in 2022 — his best since 2018. .He has been credited with just six regular-season drops over the past three seasons on 247 targets, with a drop percentage below 4% in each season.
"While he has sustained a few injuries over the years, Smith-Schuster has proven his toughness, notably pushing hard to play in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2021 playoff game, which was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s last NFL outing.”
Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of last season.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers had 78 receptions, 933 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games for the Chiefs. He finished second to tight end Travis Kelce in both receptions and yards in 2022.
How would Smith-Schuster fit into Carolina Panthers offense?
Currently, Smith-Schuster will likely be paired with DJ Moore in the Carolina Panthers' offense. Moore became the franchise's No. 1 wideout when Carolina traded Robbie Anderson, now known as Chosen Anderson, to the Arizona Cardinals last October.
According to Spotrac, Smith-Schuster's market value is a four-year, $58.6 million contract. It remains to be seen if Carolina signs the former Steelers star this offseason to pair him with Moore.
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