The Carolina Panthers were thin at wide receiver even before No. 1 target Kelvin Benjamin went down with a torn ACL earlier this week. It's a crushing injury, especially given how much this unit struggled last season.
Cam Newton still has rookie second-rounder Devin Funchess to throw to.
"Talented. Flash player with physical upside," one NFL scout told ESPN NFL insider Field Yates of Funchess. "Can make the difficult catch but inconsistent in contested situations. Similar to Benjamin in that he's not a great separator."
It's highly unlikely that Funcess can replicate Benjamin's rookie production (73 receptions, 1,008 yards, nine touchdowns). It's even more unlikely that the remaining receiving corps (Corey Browns, Ted Ginn Jr., Jerricho Cotchery) can pick up the slack. So should Carolina be sniffing out potentially available pass-catchers?
"Perhaps it would behoove Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman to explore a trade for a wide receiver," Yates wrote. "In examining the depth charts around the league, one team in particular stands out as having a surplus of pass-catchers: Indianapolis. With T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson entrenched as top starters and first-round pick Phillip Dorsett as a viable third receiver, that leaves both Donte Moncrief and Duron Carter searching for playing time on an offense that also heavily relies on two tight ends (Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener). While I'm not suggesting that Indianapolis is trying to unload either player, the concept makes sense to explore on both sides. Whether he has to give up a draft pick or a player currently on the roster, Gettleman might find his best course of action is to search for a trade partner."
Again, Yates is not reporting that the Panthers and Colts are swapping trade offers. Instead, he's suggesting that Carolina be on the lookout for low-cost, available options at the position and Indy just so happens to have a few. We'll have to wait and see if the Panthers are interested in going down this road before the regular season starts.
