Possible Destinations for WR Curtis Samuel in Free Agency

The Panthers rising star wide receiver will garner a lot of interest this offseason.

When you have receivers like DJ Moore and Robby Anderson on your roster, you would think that it would be rather challenging for a third wide receiver to shine. For Curtis Samuel, that was not the case. 

Although he did not go over 1,000 yards receiving as those two did, he did obtain over 1,000 scrimmage yards thanks to his versatility and earning some snaps at running back. During training camp, Matt Rhule and his offensive assistants toyed with the idea of using Samuel in the backfield. Once Christian McCaffrey went down, the Panthers lacked explosiveness out of the backfield and it was a no-brainer to start giving Samuel a few carries per game. He finished the year with 200 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries.

At his regular position, Samuel thrived and quickly emerged as Teddy Bridgewater's favorite target on 3rd downs and in clutch situations. Everyone knew where the ball was going, yet no one could stop him. Samuel's quickness off the ball helps him gain separation early in the play, allowing him to find space in the open field. With that said, Samuel is not just a speedy receiver that does all of his damage in space. He is a tough, physical receiver that plays bigger than his size would indicate which helps him make contested catches. The biggest question mark he had coming into the season was whether or not he could become more reliable. In the first three years of his career, Samuel had trouble with drops but he cleaned that up in a major way in 2020. As a matter of fact, Samuel finished No. 1 in catch percentage (79.4%) with those who had 40 or more targets on the year.

As far as his future is concerned, I'm not sure if we will see him in a Panthers uniform again. The team has several areas that need to be addressed on the roster and he may demand too much money for a position that the Panthers are okay at. Even if Carolina was able to bring him back, it seems as if Samuel is leaning toward heading in another direction and testing the free-agent market. If the Panthers can find a way to bring him back and still have a comfortable amount of cap space to work with, they'll do everything they can to make it happen. I'm just not sure it'll be able to happen. 

With all that said, if Samuel does not return to Carolina, there will be several teams that will have interest in him. The three that immediately come to mind are the Washington Football Team (reunite with Rivera/Hurney), Jacksonville Jaguars (reunite with college head coach Urban Meyer), and the New York Giants who need a dynamic receiver to help out the young Daniel Jones. To help gauge how interested each of those three teams are, we received some help around the Sports Illustrated network from those who cover each respective team.

Football Team: Analysis from Chris Russell of Washington Football

Curtis Samuel is absolutely a target for the Washington Football Team but like anything -- price matters and it matters a lot.

Washington, under Ron Rivera, has executed well in terms of targeting specific players, making a competitive bid but not expanding the value in a bidders market.

Samuel is versatile, has very good speed, and would really help Washington's offense in a number of ways.

He killed them in the week 16 matchup against his former head coach and staff. Samuel ripped off a long run lined up traditionally out of the backfield and swept to the right - breaking a big tackle and it was up the sideline. He also had a deep ball catch against them and should have had a deep bomb for a touchdown that Teddy Bridgewater overthrew.

He would fit perfectly with Cam Sims, Terry McLaurin, Logan Thomas, and a variety of backs but Washington can't afford to spend $14 + million per year for Samuel while staring down the barrel of a costly McLaurin extension and having to pay their defensive line. 

Jaguars: Analysis from John Shipley of Jaguar Report

I think the Jaguars will have a lot of interest in Samuel. Urban Meyer openly said that he wants to add speed to the WR room, and Samuel is right up there with Will Fuller in terms of speed at WR this March. Samuel is also adept at playing in the slot, an area where the Jaguars have a rather large need. Samuel would give them a much different element at receiver compared to DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault. He's shifty, can work in tight spaces, and can stretch the field horizontally and vertically. Add in his familiarity with Urban Meyer and it seems like a fit for all sides.

Giants: Analysis from Patricia Traina of Giants Country

The New York Giants need a playmaking wide receiver badly. How badly you ask?

The NFL’s 31st ranked scoring offense got little scoring production from its top three receivers last season—Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton. Those three combined for eight receiving touchdowns. To put that into perspective, Slayton alone as a rookie the year prior led the team with eight touchdowns.

As a result of the Giants' scoring woes, general manager Dave Gettleman has made it a mission to find playmakers to help quarterback Daniel Jones, who is entering his third season, finally take that step toward erasing any lingering doubts about whether he is indeed the future of this franchise.

They can start by getting a receiver who is not only capable of taking the top off a defense but who warrants bracket coverage on certain routes. Flexibility—ideally the receiver should be able to work from the slot as well as the outside—is key in this Jason Garrett-led offense, as Garrett and head coach Joe Judge like to move players around to gain favorable matchups.

Make no mistake about it: a big-time receiver with reliable hands who can run good routes, separate, and draw some attention on the field could be just the shot in the arm this lethargic Giants passing offense desperately needs.

Curtis Samuel appears to offer all that and more, plus he’s a guy with whom Gettleman is familiar, which is why it would not be surprising if the Giants make a pitch for him if the price is right.

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