Panthers Bolster Depth at Wide Receiver with Deven ThompkinsPanthers Bolster Depth at Wide Receiver with Deven Thompkins Addressing the lack of playmakers around quarterback Bryce Young, the Carolina Panthers have made several moves to upgrade their receiving corps this offseason. The latest addition is free agent wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Thompkins spent his first two NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played a limited role in the offense. Despite minimal opportunities, Thompkins showed flashes of his potential, recording 22 receptions, including 17 in 2023. During his college career at Utah State, Thompkins was a prolific receiver, setting single-season school records for receptions (102), receiving yards (1,702), and touchdowns (10). He averaged an impressive 16.7 yards per reception. While Thompkins’ transition to the NFL has been different, the Panthers hope he can rediscover his explosive playmaking ability in their offense. He is not expected to be a significant contributor initially, but he adds depth and competition to the receiving unit. Thompkins joins Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette as recent acquisitions designed to enhance the Panthers’ passing attack. His presence provides quality competition in training camp, giving the team more options at the position where they desperately need them.
One of the Carolina Panthers’ biggest issues last season was a lack of weapons around first-round quarterback Bryce Young. The team recognized the problem and made a concerted effort to fix it this offseason. They acquired former wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went out and drafted Xavier Legette in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, they’ve made a move to improve the depth they have at the position.
On Thursday, it was announced that the Panthers had reached an agreement with free agent wide receiver Deven Thompkins. Thompkins spent his first two seasons in the NFL with the Panthers’ division rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although he was rarely used in the Bucs’ offense, Thompkins produced when he was on offense. In his two seasons with Tampa Bay, Thompkins hauled in 22 receptions, including 17 last season.
Thompkins primarily served as a possession receiver in the Bucs offense, averaging just 5.2 yards per reception during his two seasons as a pro. That’s a stark contrast to the receiver he was in college at Utah State. During Thompkins’ breakout 2021 season for the Aggies, he caught 102 passes for an astonishing 1,702 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 16.7 yards per reception.
Of course, the transition from Utah State to the professional level was a tough one for Thompkins, but the Panthers are likely counting on Thompkins to return to the type of explosive playmaker he was in college, rather than the mediocre possession receiver he’s been in the NFL thus far. Thompkins likely won’t be a big part of the Panthers’ offense — if he makes the team at all — but he does provide the team with some quality, competitive running backs in training camp where they need it most.
