The Panthers have as much talent at wide receiver as any team in the NFL. However, they might lose Curtis Samuel in free agency and Robby Anderson is only under contract for one more season, so it makes sense to consider adding even more firepower at this spot even if it seems like a luxury they can’t afford.
Will Fuller of the Texans is about to hit the market, and he should absolutely be on new general manager Scott Fitterer’s radar. Here’s how he might fit.
Pros
Not many WR2s have been more productive than Fuller (six-foot, 184 pounds) the last few years. In 11 games this season Fuller posted 53 catches, 38 first downs, 879 yards and eight touchdowns. He also posted an impressive 70.7% catch rate considering his average depth of target. The best case for signing Fuller is that it could help attract Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has a strong rapport with him. Adding those two would give Carolina one of the league’s most lethal passing attacks.
Cons
Availability is criticial in the NFL and Fuller falls short in this area. He was suspended six games for performance enhancing drugs and he’s missed 25 games total over the last four years. Another positive PED test would cost him an entire season. Fuller’s hands are also a little inconsistent – he’s dropped eight passes from 2019-2020. He wouldn’t come cheap, either. Spotrac projects his market value at a robust $16.9 million per season.
Conclusion
Fuller is just 26 years old and he’s one of the league’s most potent vertical threats. If the Panthers can acquire a quarterback who can take advantage of those attributes then he’s absolutely worth considering, even at that price.
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