The Carolina Panthers have been strongly linked to star wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason as they look to give quarterback Bryce Young a true No. 1 target.
After trading DJ Moore to acquire Young, the Panthers have struggled to replace his production, with Adam Thielen serving as the team’s top receiver in 2023.
Bleacher Report’s Andrew Velez sees Carolina as an ideal destination for Higgins, stating, “If you had to ask me for a landing spot for Tee Higgins, I’m going with the Carolina Panthers. You can’t go out there another season and run Adam Thielen as the WR1.”
Higgins, who went to college at Clemson in South Carolnia, would bring size, physicality, and elite offense to a team in desperate need of a top-tier weapon.
Tee Higgins to the #Panthers please pic.twitter.com/8nSw4V1H9y
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌🏽 (@PanthersAnalyst) December 28, 2024
Signing Higgins won’t be easy. He is expected to command at least $25 million per year, and Carolina currently has around $31.5 million in cap space with multiple other needs to address.
General manager Dan Morgan and cap expert Brandt Tilis are expected to create additional flexibility through restructures and roster moves, but the team will likely need to make a highly competitive offer to land Higgins.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder believes Carolina should make him their top priority, writing, “With Bryce Young looking like the long-term solution at quarterback, Higgins should be Carolina’s biggest priority in free agency.”
The Panthers will also face competition from teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots, while the Cincinnati Bengals could still try to extend him despite Ja’Marr Chase’s looming payday.
🚨NFL RUMORS
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) January 30, 2025
Many people around the #NFL believe that the #Bengals will let Tee Higgins hit the FREE AGENT market.
A few of the team expected to show interest: The #Patriots #Commanders #Chargers #Panthers #Steelers and #Jaguars pic.twitter.com/lvKpk5Wtge
If Higgins reaches the open market, the Panthers are expected to be aggressive. He would immediately become the team’s top receiving option and give Young a go-to target capable of changing games.
Carolina’s struggles on offense last season made it clear they need a difference-maker, and pairing Higgins with Young could accelerate the team’s rebuild.
While convincing him to join a rebuilding franchise may require an overpay, adding a dynamic talent like Higgins could be the move that finally gives the Panthers the firepower they’ve been missing.
Photo Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
