Marty Hurney and Norv Turner have spent the offseason talking up their plans to give Cam Newton more weapons and adding veteran wide receivers; today, they appear to be adding another to both categories with former Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright expected to ink a three-year deal with the team.
Wright, released last week by the Vikings to save $2.64m in salary cap space, spent his entire career in Minnesota, including two and a half seasons under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner; Turner clearly values Wright’s 4.42-forty speed and reliability on third down in the slot. Wright had his best season under Turner, picking up 42 receptions for 588 yards and two scores in 2014. Wright has totaled ten touchdowns in his career, but never more than the three he had in his rookie season.
While the signing of another wide receiver may not move the needle that much, especially in an offseason with Torrey Smith coming via trade and the Panthers expected to pick up a wide receiver in the draft, the more important question that the Wright signing may bring to the forefront of many Panthers fans’ minds is what this signing may have to do with second-year wide out Curtis Samuel’s recovery from the lower leg injury that ended his season in the middle of November; between Devin Funchess, Samuel, Damiere Byrd, Torrey Smith and Russell Shepard, that makes for six wide receivers for a team that only typically carries five on their roster. They opened the season in 2017 with six before trading Kaelin Clay to the Buffalo Bills.
Wright brings a veteran presence to the locker room, bringing five years experience not only in the NFL, but experience working with Turner; Wright spent most of last season as the third option for the Vikings, and that’s where he appears to slot for the Panthers. While the Panthers kicked the tires on some bigger-name wide receivers during the first week of free agency, ultimately, they appear content bringing in complimentary pieces to help shape their offense around Cam Newton in free agency and perhaps adding another option through the draft.
“I think the biggest thing is we look at who we have, first of all, and try to slot where they are going to fit for us. Looking at Devin, we say ‘OK, Funchess is either the No. 1 or the No. 2.” Looking at what we have with Damiere, what we have with Kaelin, what we have with Shep and on down the line with our other guys and seeing where they’re going to fit,” Ron Rivera said during the Combine two weeks ago. “Now, those other pieces that come in as you get them, where do they fit? Do you find a No. 1 in free agency? Or a No. 2 in free agency making Devin the No. 1? During the draft, the same process will go into play. Sitting down and talking to Marty, it is a big piece for us in this offseason as far as free agency and the draft is concerned.”
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the signing bonus is thought to be $2m.
