The Carolina Panthers’ wideout room is going to be a bit crowded this summer.
Head coach Dave Canales chatted with reporters after closing up the third and final practice of mandatory minicamp on Thursday. He was asked about the team’s depth at receiver, and how hard it may be for some of their pass catchers to make the initial 53-man roster.
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“I think it’s gonna be very difficult,” Canales stated. “I think that we’re gonna have to take it through the preseason games, and see who can help us. And special teams is gonna be such a huge piece of that puzzle. How can these guys help us in the coverage units? Can they help us as a returner? Those things, that added value—if it’s even the special teamer—makes the team.
“So that’s the part where we get to challenge our guys. Find a role, take this thing seriously. You’re not here just to catch passes. We only get so many helmets on game day, so we need all of you. We need you guys to contribute in different ways.”
For the first time in a long time, the depth chart for Carolina feels refreshingly deep at the receiver spot.
If all players remain healthy through the offseason, the shoo-ins for the roster should include 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker. The rest of the field may run pretty tight after that—with veteran David Moore, former Pro Bowler Hunter Renfrow and 2025 sixth-round pick Jimmy Horn Jr. among those jockeying for position.
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As Canales alluded to, special teams abilities will factor into the team’s decision on who stays. And in terms of claiming the returner job—something the Panthers need to address before Week 1—Moore, Renfrow and Horn all have prior experience in that department.
So, it’s safe to say that the Panthers will have themselves quite a competition at wideout coming up.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers HC Dave Canales sends message to WRs hoping to make the team