Panthers predicted to sign $21.8 million star wide receiver in 2025 NFL free agency

Carolina's biggest need on offense isn't hard to find, and they could swing for the fences in free agency.

Tim Weaver | Dec 11, 2024

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 29: Tee Higgins #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals walks off the field after a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Bengals defeated the Panthers 34-24. / (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

In this story:

Carolina Panthers

At the beginning of the season, it looked like the Carolina Panthers had radically upgraded what was the worst wide receiver room in the NFL. Diontae Johnson was a clear new number one option here, Adam Thielen was balling and they had a few other young up-and-comers with potential behind them.

Fast forward three months and it once again looks like wide receiver is this team's greatest offensive roster need, now that we're confident Bryce Young should be starting long-term (or at least in 2025). Johnson moped his way out of Carolina and a massive bag, and has since crashed and burned in Baltimore. Thielen is still playing some excellent ball for his age, but at 34 years old his best days are behind him. Meanwhile, last year's first-round draft pick Xavier Legette has developed a lethal case of the dropsies and Jonathan Mingo is in Dallas. Promiing rookie Jalen Coker's calf injury hasn't helped matters, either.

If the Panthers are going to address this need this coming offseason, they should probably take a two-pronged approach, because Young needs more than just one extra pass-catching weapon. Signing a proven commodity at receiver in free agency and then drafting one with upside and soft hands seems like the best way forward.

If that's the path they take, they might as well swing for the fences. In Bleacher Report's latest team needs column they project that the Panthers will sign Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins, who will be WR1 if he hits the open market in 2025.

B/R on Tee Higgins-Panthers

"Bryce Young has played well enough recently to earn a chance at remaining the starting quarterback in Carolina next season, but the offense could use some extra weapons for Young to throw to. Higgins will likely be the top wide receiver in free agency since he'll be just 26 years old in January and has No. 1 receiver potential. Meanwhile, the front office is projected to have about $33.6 million of cap space in the offseason, per Over The Cap, to help make this pairing happen."

Higgins has the frame the Panthers need (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) to help break through in the red zone, where they've had frequent issues this season with both Young and Andy Dalton at QB. For his career Higgins has caught over 300 passes, totaling 4,265 yards and 29 touchdowns. Impressive as he's been, Higgins is a distant second on the depth chart in Cincinnati behind Ja'Marr Chase, who looks better right now than any two wide receivers.

If he were to sign with a team like the Panthers, Higgins would not only get a huge new contract, he'd be the undisputed number one wide receiver for the long term, opening a path for Higgins to make his first Pro Bowl team. Higgins has missed a handful of games due to injuries, but there are no real yellow flags to signing him. Considering his downfield usage, Higgins' catch rate (63.4%) is phenomenal, as is his career 6.5% drop rate.

That's exacly the kind of dynamic the Panthers were hoping Xavier Legette would bring to the table, but as yet it hasn't happned. Signing Higgins offers a chance to start over with a bonafide talent at the top of the wide receiver room.