Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton compared the team’s offense to the Titanic late last season, and if that’s the case, then its receiving corps was the iceberg.
Much of that was because of injuries.
Tight end Greg Olsen, Newton’s most reliable target, spent eight weeks on injured reserve healing from a broken foot. Second-round draft pick Curtis Samuel battled hamstring injuries through training camp and the early part of the year, and suffered ligament damage in his ankle mid-season just as he was starting to flash his enormous potential.
Devin Funchess became the team’s No. 1 wideout following the trade of Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo in October, and had a stellar five-game stretch before hurting his shoulder and playing through the injury for the remainder of the season.