Will the passing game level up or regress?
The Carolina Panthers’ abysmal 2023 season saw a floundering Bryce Young target Adam Thielen 137 times for 103 receptions. The next closest receiver was Jonathan Mingo, who was targeted 85 times and only caught the ball 43 times. Those accounted for almost half of Young’s 527 attempted passes. Last season saw increasing improvement as Young’s playing time increased but still showed an imperfect offense trying to find its footing.
Then rookie Xavier Legette led all Panthers receivers in 2024 with 49 receptions on 87 targets. That put him just ahead in volume and well behind in reliability when compared to Thielen’s 48 receptions on 62 targets. Most importantly, there were a handful of other receivers who received a significant share of the targets. Jalen Coker is the notable name among those other players as we enter the 2025 season.
Theilen, Legette, Coker, and 2025 NFL draft first round pick Tetairoa McMillan are expected to see the lion’s share of targets this season. Exactly how that share will be broken up amongst the four is anybody’s guess. Thielen is the old, reliable option. Legette has the biggest chip on his shoulder after an offseason spent discussing drops. Coker is the up-and-coming undrafted free agent on the verge of becoming something. McMillan is the exciting newcomer who could be the most talented of the group.
Vote in the poll here to tell us who will lead the 2025 Carolina Panthers in 2025. Then scroll on down to the comments to let us know how the rest will fall out and what your prediction is for each player’s volume this season.
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