Carolina Panthers: 5 Free Agent Wide Receiver Targets

No. 5: Antonio Brown, Josh Gordon

The most enticing options on the free-agent market – if you could trust them. Their talent rivals any star in the league, but suspensions and drama surround them. For a rebuilding team like the Panthers, it holds a double-edged sword. One one hand, with no expectations or pressure on the team in 2020, there is no on-field downside if these players don’t work out. However, the locker room headaches could be enough to drag down younger players and give the message that these types of antics will be tolerated by the organization.

There is no guarantee that either of these players even suits up this season. On what has become a never-ending string of suspensions, Josh Gordon is suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the substance abuse policy again. This is the fifth time he’s been suspended by the NFL for substance abuse and there are no indications that he will ever be able to get clean.

When on the field, Gordon has been productive, catching 27 passes for 437 yards and a touchdown in 2019. However, multiple teams have already tried to tap into that potential and harness him, including solid organizations like the Patriots and Seahawks.

Antonio Brown, on the other hand, has been in and out of the news all offseason as he battles legal issues. He is perhaps the most talented player in the league at the position – and an even bigger headache than Gordon. But still, his production speaks for itself and if he could be convinced that Carolina is the perfect place to rehabilitate his image, then he could be a fit with the Panthers.