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The 2026 draft is right around the corner, which means I'm thinking what we're all thinking: we need another wide receiver. Only problem? Carolina has TEN on the roster currently. Good news is, I was able to find a way to move a couple of guys if you can pitch my ideas in the questions below to the coaching staff.
First, I really like David Moore, but his re-signing was a bit of a head-scratcher to me. I appreciate depth, special teams utility, and familiarity as much as the next old guy, but Moore doesn't need to be on the roster to provide his best trait. Would Moore be open to a spot on the coaching staff instead? That way, you get to keep the veteran leadership around without using a roster spot. Plus, he and Canales can still hang.
Second, I've seen a lot of mock drafts where the Panthers take Kenyon Sadiq at No. 19. Seems redundant. Other than about a 15-pound weight difference, they already have a guy on the roster with most of Sadiq's skill set that they haven't been able to figure out what to do with yet. 6-3? Check. A 4.39 forty time? Check. Jacked? Check. Do you think Canales and Brad Idzik might consider shifting XL to more of a hybrid-TE role? We are short in the play-making TE department as well, so this seems like a way to kill two birds and free up the 19th pick.
P.S. - How many raccoons would Legette need to eat to fill said weight discrepancy? — Jake, Candler, NC
First off, raccoons are kind of fatty and greasy when you cook them, so not an ideal protein for gaining good weight. Also, that's a thing I knew before I met XL, because when you grow up in Suburban Hickory, you are exposed to meats that you just can't purchase at a Harris Teeter. (Also, I need to talk to somebody over there, because the last time I was looking for liver mush, the meat counter manager said it was discontinued. This aggression will not stand.)
Secondly, I will believe that Dave Canales is coaching an NFL roster without David Moore on it as soon as I see it. Moore is a trusted agent, an instiller of culture, a model of how to work and study, and is pretty good at playing. He's not a regular, but he's a guy who consistently makes plays. And guys who have played don't always want to coach, because coaching doesn't pay as well as playing, takes a long time, and David Moore's got a herd of cows to think about.
Thirdly, again, tight ends are usually tight ends, and receivers are receivers. Trying to turn a guy from one thing to another is usually the last attempt to extract value from a guy you've invested in, right before they go elsewhere.
Fourthly, we need to all free our minds from positional need when it comes to the draft. If I've said it once, I've said it hundreds of times: The Panthers had a Dan Morgan when they drafted Jon Beason, and they had a Jon Beason when they drafted Luke Kuechly. That's how you get good and stay that way.