What Are the Panthers Getting in WR Laviska Shenault?

Get to know the new Panthers wide receiver.

The Panthers wanted to increase the overall strength of the wide receiving corps and did so Monday by making a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for second-year receiver Laviska Shenault.

Carolina had previously engaged in trade talks with the New York Jets about Denzel Mims before striking a deal with the Jags. 

This trade could make things a little uncomfortable for a fellow second-round pick in Terrace Marshall Jr. who has had a hard time staying healthy since entering the league. It still feels like a long shot that the Panthers actually cut Marshall, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibilities.

As far as what Carolina is getting in Shentault, it's still a work in progress. The talent, the skill, and the overall makeup are there. Now it's all about executing and producing a consistent level of production. 

To get to know the new Panthers wide receiver a little more, I reached out to fellow FanNation publisher John Shipley of Jaguar Report.

"Shenault is a tough case to figure out. His rookie year show him flash great talent at multiple positions, but since then it has all been downhill. The Jaguars' new staff tried to find some kind of role for him in the offense but it was clear early in camp this wouldn't be the case, with him falling behind Jamal Agnew on the depth chart. He has experience at slot, outside receiver and in the backfield, though his best role is in the slot due to his size and power and his limitations in terms of speed."

If Marshall sticks on the 53-man roster, he and Shenault will be competing to be the fifth option in the passing game behind DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, Rashard Higgins, and Shi Smith. Coming this late into the offense, Marshall will have a leg up, and considering the number of players who have talked about the difficulty of learning this Ben McAdoo offense, it may take some time before Shenault flourishes in his role, whatever that may be.

What that role may look like? 

Well, he looks like a perfect fit in the slot given his size as John alluded to above. Carolina needs a reliable, go-to third down target that can carve up defenses over the middle of the field, similar to what Curtis Samuel did in 2020.  With his build of 6'1", 227 pounds, Shenault could be used in a variety of ways. They could flex him out wide and potentially even throw him in the backfield in some packages. It's unknown how the Panthers actually plan on using him but regardless, it gives Baker Mayfield another weapon in the passing game and increases the overall talent in the receiving room.

For more insight, check out John's story on Shenault from this offseason with quotes from then-position coach, Chris Jackson.

For #Panthers fans who want more on new WR Laviska Shenault: here is a story on the offseason I did on him after a conversation with his then-position coach Chris Jackson. cc @JoshNorris https://t.co/1FcusX4thW

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) August 29, 2022

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