Panthers, Bryce Young slammed with crushing news on top WR target

Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers have received some pretty bad news regarding one of their top potential wide receiver targets this NFL offseason.

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) looks on before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's very obvious that the Carolina Panthers need to add more weapons for Bryce Young this offseason, especially considering how well he played toward the end of 2024.

Young looks like he has a chance to be special, but the Panthers need to cultivate him by putting the right pieces around him.

Carolina doesn't have a ton of cap space, so its best bet may be to trade for a wide receiver still on his rookie deal to avoid taking a massive cap hit right off the bat.

That's why New York Jets star Garrett Wilson had been emerging as a potential top target for the Panthers, especially after he openly credited Young on social media.

However, Wilson is apparently angling for a contract extension with the Jets, which probably ends any chance Carolina had of acquiring him.

RUMORS: Garrett Wilson “wants to re-up” with the Jets. A long-term deal will go a long way in keeping Garrett happy. He could look for a deal worth ~$30M APY (@ZackBlatt).

FULL EPISODE: https://t.co/fnEHie81oi pic.twitter.com/1wkLvMpyt9

— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) February 26, 2025

The Panthers probably never had a significant chance of swinging a deal for Wilson anyway, especially after it was revealed that the Jets would be moving on from Aaron Rodgers, with whom Wilson may not have seen eye to eye.

Either way, it's disappointing news, as Carolina fans can now cross a fantastic playmaker off of their wish list heading into the offseason.

The Panthers currently have Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker as their top three receivers. Thielen could actually represent a potential trade candidate, and Legette was actually a fairly big disappointment during his rookie campaign.

Carolina can always get creative and find another trade or perhaps sign a sleeper in free agency. Plus, there's alway the NFL Draft.

We'll see how the Panthers approach things in the coming weeks.

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