In 2024, the plan of attack for the Carolina Panthers has been all about putting their 2nd-year quarterback Bryce Young in the best position possible to succeed. It's no secret that Young's rookie season didn't go too smoothly, but that was hardly a surprise given the iffy state of their offensive line and their arsenal of weapons. To make up for that, Carolina signed a pair of veteran guards — Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis — to a huge long-term deals, and then acquired Diontae Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers before turning their attention to the NFL Draft, where wide receiver Xavier Legette, running back Jonathon Brooks, and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders were all selected with top 100 picks.
There's no doubt that the Panthers offense is in a much better place now than it was one full year ago, but one franchise legend believes that Carolina should double-down on their attempt to surround Young with high-upside playmakers, and inquire about a deal with the San Francisco 49ers for disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
“I would look into making an investment into bringing Brandon Aiyuk in,” Panthers all-time leading tackler Thomas Davis shared during an appearance on Cam Newton's 4th &1 podcast. “I feel like you can never have too many weapons. You sit back and you add guys like Diontae Johnson, that's an instant upgrade to that receiver room, right? Then you bring back Adam Thielen, then you draft Xavier Legette. I feel like adding another weapon like Brandon Aiyuk would add instant credibility to that wide receiver room, and it would make them one of the best receiver rooms in the entire NFC South.”
Another Panthers legend disagrees about Brandon Aiyuk
In theory, Thomas Davis is correct. Adding Brandon Aiyuk to the trio of Johnson, Thielen and Legette would give the Panthers one of the better receiver rooms not just in the NFC South, but in the entire conference. However, there are financial hurdles Carolin would need to clear in order to make a move like this one. Plus, as Cam Newton went on to note, giving Young a different kind of playmaker may actually be better for his development.
“I know as a young quarterback with Bryce, I wouldn’t necessarily go after Brandon Aiyuk, I would try to have a quick option,” Newton responded. “You know how I feel about tight ends. You know how I feel about running backs. It’s invaluable to express the importance of that specific position. There’s many times where J-Stew (Johnathan Stewart), DeAngelo (DeAngelo Williams), even C-Mac (Christian McCaffrey), ‘Hey bro, get out quick now, get your check and get on your end route real quick, so I can have a quick option to go to.'”
The Panthers did address those two positions in the Draft, though there's no guarantee that either Brooks or Sanders will pan out in the way that the Panthers hope. Throughout the offseason Cam Newton has been offering his mentorship to Bryce Young, so putting him in the best position to succeed is likely a thought that has been on Cam's mind for months now.
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