Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen had an excellent 2024 campaign, reminiscent of some of his best seasons with the Vikings. Besides the 33-year-old’s standout effort, rookie quarterback Bryce Young didn’t get much help throughout a rocky first season. As a result, the Panthers made two big moves to augment the receiving corps this offseason, requiring recent high draft picks to show up soon or, perhaps, get pushed out. 
After Thielen’s 103-reception, 1,014-yard, four-score effort, the next-best receiving performances were from free agent addition DJ Chark (35 receptions-525 yards-5 touchdowns) and second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo (43-418-0). Rounding out the room, former second-round pick Terrace Marshall (19-139-0), former Jaguars second-round pick Laviska Shenault (10-60-0), Ihmir Smith-Marsette (8-51-0), and Mike Strachan (1-45-0) each provided minimal contributions in Young’s rookie year.
Besides Shenault, that entire group returns in 2024. Thielen will obviously remain a starter, though he may be challenged by trade acquisition Diontae Johnson for the WR1-role. Johnson averaged about 872 yards and five touchdowns per year over five seasons in Pittsburgh. Putting forth an average season would already provide a significant upgrade to the room.
Joining Johnson as a newcomer to the group is first-round draft pick Xavier Legette. An explosive but inexperienced weapon out of South Carolina, Legette brings an air of mystery to the Panthers. Legette spent four years with the Gamecocks before finally becoming a main contributor as a redshirt senior, totaling more in 2023 (71-1,255-7) than he did in the four prior years combined (42-423-5).
Barely making it into the first round as the 32nd overall selection in this year’s draft, Legette will be competing with the team’s two former second-round picks in his rookie season for the WR3 job. While Marshall has had trouble staying on the field since getting drafted out of LSU, missing at least three games in each year including eight last year, his second season stats (28-490-1) resembled Mingo’s rookie numbers, but he was mostly a non-factor during his other two seasons. Mingo could certainly take step forward in Year 2, but he’ll now be forced to outperform Legette in training camp to remain a starter.
One under the radar addition that could prove effective is UFL star Daewood Davis. A former undrafted free agent for the Dolphins out of Western Kentucky, Davis caught 41 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games with the Memphis Showboats. If he uses that pro experience to enhance his offseason performance in 2024, Davis could make a strong play for a roster spot and, perhaps, even a role in the receiver-rotation.
Regardless, Carolina’s 2024 receiving corps looks to be much improved from the group fielded by the Panthers in 2023. Thielen and Johnson figure to form a strong, experienced duo atop the depth chart. Past those two, Carolina just needs one of Legette, Mingo, Marshall, Davis, or another to step up and provide a strong WR3 for Young.
I actually don’t expect either either Johnson or Thielin to be the Panthers’ WR1, and I don’t believe that it’d be wise to plan for that. Both players would work best inside or as a WR2. Legette should be the primary boundary option, if it all pans out. That should be the preferred outcome, at least. Practically, Thielin already has a connection with Young, and Legette will need to learn NFL level technique in his routes before he can be a true number one receiver. Johnson would ideally be a slot option, and I think that’s where he’d be best and could offer some speed inside that could steal some yards here and there. Mingo is really the player that I’d like to see emerge for Carolina this year. He has the most size out of their group, and started to show some last year. Given Thielin’s age, Mingo could use that size to be a great option opposite Legette on the outside as a WR2 who could be a boundary receiver.
Since Marshall didn’t work out (or at least appears to not have worked out so far), Mingo is the fourth factor in this group to develop. Having him and Legette could be the ideal pairing for the future, but as of now, I think that the ideal set for the Panthers would be Legette, Thielin, and Johnson as WR1, WR2, and slot WR respectively. Of course, I am far from a receivers coach or offensive coordinator and haven’t seen their practices, so take it as you will (or won’t).
I wouldn’t count out Johnson just out, he’s situation seems pretty similar to Stephon Diggs when he went from Minnesota to Buffalo. I think given how well he gets open, should be the top target for Bryce Young. I wouldn’t put too much faith in the Panthers’ drafted receivers. Carolina has never been good at drafting receivers (they took Kelvin Benjamin over Davante Adams, plus all the other busts they’ve taken).
They did, but Benjamin was also pretty good for Carolina too. After a few years he fell off, but he and Funchess were the top targets for an MVP in 2015, do it’s not like they were terrible.
I’m not counting Johnson out at all. I think that he’ll do well. I do not think, however, that he should bd WR1. WR1 is a position, not exactly the “top target” in my mind. The WR1 guy will be expected to be on the outside and play big in mist cases. Johnson will be good, but his best position is inside where he di the most damage.