This season, the Panthers will rely on DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel, two young receivers who haven’t fulfilled their potential – yet – and are expected to have a bigger role. While all of the attention this preseason thus far has been on the young duo, there’s another player who’s role isn’t questioned on the Panthers – that’s Jarius Wright, whose role is not just of clutch receiver who comes up with big catches – but mentor to Moore and Samuel, both 22 years old.
Unlike some of the young receivers he has worked with in the past, Wright says mentoring Moore, and Samuel has been enjoyable – and easy.
“Sometimes when you mesh with other guys, it could be tough,” Wright said after practice Sunday. “But with guys like DJ and Curtis, they listen so well. They embrace having me as an older guy; I actually think they enjoy having me. With guys like that, it is so easy. I can go tell them something, they take it. They don’t go get pissed off, they don’t not listen, they don’t turn their back, and then [you] see them try to do it on the next route or the next play. So that shows me what I’m telling them, they’re trying to implement it into what they’re doing.”
“So it is hard [with others, but] with those guys, they make it easy on me.”
Fans have to go back to Steve Smith’s last season in Carolina to find a true #1 wide receiver, but the Panthers could potentially have two in Moore and Samuel. Not only did Moore and Samuel showed they could be explosive receivers in Norv Turner’s offense, they could be the best the Panthers have had in quite some time.
Last season, Moore finished with 55 receptions for 788 yards and two touchdowns as he also averaged 14.3 yards per reception while started 10 games last season. The good news for the Panthers is Moore caught 37 catches for 507 yards last November and December after only having 18 receptions for 281 yards during the first two months of the season.
Just like Moore, Samuel also had a strong finish to the 2018 season as he recorded 37 passes for 457 yards and four touchdowns in the final 10 games.
In the second year in Turner’s offense, Wright believes Moore and Samuel will get their fair share of opportunities.
“The ball is being spread around,” Wright said. “Everyone is like who’s the number one receiver, [but] everybody is going to eat in this offense. From the running back to the third or fourth receiver….The ball is spread around, so [there are] no selfish guys. It is not a selfish type of offense. There’s no ‘throw me the ball on this one play’ because whoever is open, that’s who Cam is going to throw the ball to.”
Although he is serving as a mentor to Moore and Samuel, Wright still has plenty of ability to produce on the field.
In his first season with the Panthers, Wright was hauled in 43 catches for 447 yards and a touchdown. He also was the best possession receiver of the Panthers roster as he was an efficient security blanket for quarterback Newton in third down situations. Of his 41 catches, 15 came on third or fourth down – 11 of which converted first downs; that number was second only to Christian McCaffrey.
“You see those skillsets shine,” Ron Rivera said about Wright. “Jarius is that guy that can be present and make the big catches – we saw it last year. A lot of his third down catches went for first downs.”
It wasn’t just big catches – it was all the catches as Wright’s catch percentage hasn’t dipped below 72% the past three seasons. And it wasn’t just on third down that the Panthers relied on Wright – the 29-year old’s 43 receptions were the most in his career – his familiarity with Turner’s offense, whom he worked with in 2014-16, has allowed him to transition seamlessly to Carolina and excel.
Wright’s skillset, in addition to the speed and ability after the catch of Moore and Samuel and the constant threat of Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield makes the Panthers a scary offense with a healthy Cam Newton.
“When you have guys like us, you can call a lot of different things, you can throw it deep or you can throw it five yards and let us run the rest,” said Wright. “With the guys we have, you can run a lot of different things. I think Norv does a great job of doing what fits his personnel the best.”
“The chemistry we have in the room we have right now has been great and we are going to continue to build on it; everyone in the receiver [room], we love each other, we have a great time together and we have fun working together.”
“I think it shows on the field whenever we come out.”
