Deebo Samuel Once Again Pitched as Panthers Fit; Should Carolina Make Big Splash?

On three separate occasions, the Carolina Panthers have been linked to Deebo Samuel. Surprisingly, he is still available in free agency, and the Panthers do make sense from a team fit and need standpoint. Financially, it gets iffy.

Mina Kimes opened the floodgates by detailing why it'd be a good fit. NFL analyst Nick Shook echoed the sentiment, though he questioned whether or not the Panthers could really afford it. Ultimately, he thinks it's worth whatever effort to make the money work.

Now, a third NFL insider has pitched Samuel as an ideal fit for the Panthers. At this point, it begs the question: should Carolina go for it? Will they?

Should the Panthers sign Deebo Samuel?

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) takes the field | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

From a team standpoint and an offensive fit, the Panthers absolutely should sign Deebo Samuel. He's good at creating separation, better than any Panthers pass-catcher, and he's also good at creating YAC, another thing no Panthers player really does.

He'd fit in well as the WR3. It's no secret that he's beginning to creep past his prime, and he's not as impactful as he once was. Still, he'd be excellent behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. He can also run out of the backfield, adding a wrinkle to the Carolina offense.

USA Today's Tyler Dragon said, "The Panthers’ young receiving corps could use a veteran presence. Samuel doesn’t rack up yards after the catch like he once did but he’s still capable of making timely plays and his experience will help a young Panthers squad."

That's true as well. Unfortunately, it's not all about the team fit or the need. Money matters. The Panthers have spent a ton in free agency. They spent big on Jaelan Phillips, and then stunned the world by spending big on Devin Lloyd after it seemed impossible.

Then, they stunned everyone again by adding Rasheed Walker, though his contract is an astonishing bargain. But at some point, the money does dry up. There's only so much Dan Morgan can really do to sign any other players.

Spotrac projects Samuel to be worth $15 million annually. At this point, similar to Walker, it's safe to say that the value has dipped. If it dips far enough and Morgan can get him on a short-term highly incentivized deal, it's possible.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1) carries the ball after a reception | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Otherwise, the Panthers can't really afford him. They've jumped through hoops to get the players they signed in free agency, but that kind of creativity does run out. The salary cap is malleable, but it's not imaginary. The Panthers do have a finite amount of money, and Samuel likely doesn't fit into their salary cap.

It would be good to sign Samuel, but for the money, they probably shouldn't. And they almost assuredly won't, although we certainly thought they wouldn't get Phillips, Lloyd, or Walker, and they somehow got all three.