Odell Beckham Jr. is suddenly being floated as a fit for Carolina, and the idea makes a lot more sense when you look past the name.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari listed the Panthers as one of three possible landing spots for Beckham, alongside the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders. The case for Carolina starts with a simple reality: the receiver room is thin, and it got thinner when Jalen Coker strained his quad against Cleveland and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Detroit.
Tetairoa McMillan and Coker have been Bryce Young’s top two targets, but after that, the options drop off fast. Chiari called receiver “depth is a need regardless of Coker's health status.”
That part is hard to argue with. Even if Coker is fine, Carolina could use more bodies in the room, especially with how central he’s become to the offense. If Coker or McMillan misses time, the margin for error gets small in a hurry.
Chiari also noted that the Panthers no longer have the veteran receiver presence they’ve had in recent years with Adam Thielen and Hunter Renfrow. In his view, Beckham “checks some of the boxes that are currently unaddressed.”
That’s where the conversation gets interesting. If the pitch is that Beckham is still the player he was with the Giants years ago, that’s a nonstarter. He’s 33 now, and that version of OBJ is long gone.
But the situation in New York is still worth noticing. Beckham barely saw the field, was targeted once and didn’t catch a pass before the Giants moved on after three games. Giants coach John Harbaugh said they “weren't getting enough” from that roster spot.
For Carolina, the question isn’t whether Beckham should come in and change the offense. McMillan and Coker should still be the focal points. It’s whether Beckham could provide something useful as a third or fourth option without costing much.
That’s why the idea isn’t outrageous, even if it isn’t a must-do move. If Beckham knows he’s not walking in as the No. 1 receiver and the price is right, there’s at least a case for seeing what he has left.
The Panthers don’t need Odell Beckham Jr. But if they brought him in for a workout this week, it would be worth watching.
In Other News...
Bryce Young Suddenly Has A New Panthers Safety Valve
The Panthers are trying to steady things after a 1-2 start and a loss to Cleveland, and the timing is not exactly ideal. With starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson now on injured reserve and left guard Damien Lewis expected to miss time with an elbow injury, Carolina is dealing with injuries on both sides of the ball while trying to keep Bryce Young moving forward after a promising first few weeks.
One reason the offense has looked more equipped to help him has been the growing role of the tight ends, with Darren Waller getting more involved than Carolina has typically leaned on in recent seasons. Young has thrown for 939 yards and seven touchdowns so far, and the expanded use of tight ends gives the quarterback another outlet as the Panthers try to protect a young offense that is still searching for consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have One More Option As Lions Availability Questions Grow
The Panthers got a little healthier on Thursday, and the timing matters with Detroit coming to town. Wide receiver Jalen Coker, who has been working through a quadriceps injury, was upgraded to limited participation, giving Carolina at least another possibility on a depth chart that has been watched closely all week. He is listed as questionable, but the move was still part of a broader uptick in practice activity for the group.
Monroe Freeling, Chuba Hubbard, Princely Umanmielen and Darren Waller also improved their practice status, while Nick Scott and Devin Lloyd are on track to return after full sessions. For a Panthers team trying to sort out its game-day options, the injury report now offers a little more flexibility, even if the final call on Coker still leaves something to monitor before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Need To Test A Rookie Answer On The O-Line
Luke Fortners early-season work at center has put the Panthers in a familiar spot for any team trying to sort out its offensive line: live with the current setup, or start looking for a better long-term answer. Through the first three games, his grades have been low and the pressure he has allowed has become hard to ignore, leaving Carolina with a decision point in the middle of the line.
Sam Hecht is the rookie name that could force the issue. A fifth-round pick with limited playing time so far, he has not been asked to do much yet, but that also means the Panthers still do not know exactly what they have in him. Giving Hecht a start would be less about a quick fix than a real evaluation, and for a team still trying to stabilize up front, that kind of information can matter just as much as the result of one Sunday. [Read more 🡒]