Oct 27, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (0) before the game against the Green Bay Packers at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

NFL free agency: Panthers should have eye on newly-released wide receiver

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated May 8, 2025 8:28 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers are pretty locked and loaded on wide receivers. After drafting Tetairoa McMillan and signing some UDFAs, the Panthers have over double digits. They're only going to carry seven at most during the season, so they're already a little overstocked.

That said, the players they do have, with few exceptions, are not good enough to forego a potentially impactful player. Players still available now are not always that impactful, but some of them could be. That includes recently-released Gabe Davis.

Gregg Rosenthal said, "Davis' season in Jacksonville was such a bust that the Jags cut him after one season despite guaranteed money due in 2025. The incredible downfield numbers he put up in Buffalo and Davis' age suggest he's still worth taking a chance on as a discounted role player."

The smartest way to do this is to sign Davis to a very cheap, one-year contract that is not guaranteed. Give him incentives and see if he can even make the roster. He's shown flashes in the past, so it's worth taking a shot on.

Davis is likely the player the Panthers need if he works out. He's a deep threat, and the Panthers don't really have that. Xavier Legette is not really a burner, nor is Jalen Coker. Adam Thielen's days of running past DBs are likely over. Tetairoa McMillan is here, but he wasn't a speed guy in college, either. That's one thing the wide receiver room is lacking.

Additionally, competition is good. If Davis and Hunter Renfrow are both competing just for a roster spot, it should bring out the best in them. The same is true for the UDFAs, like Muhsin Muhammad III. It's all going to make them better and give the Panthers the best versions of the players, which is exactly what they need on offense.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: