Who will step up on offense to help Christian McCaffrey?

[Sir Purr]

Wright and fellow wide receiver Curtis Samuel accounted for just four catches on Sunday, a number that’s going to need to increase to lighten the load on McCaffrey. Last season, Wright cemented himself as a go-to target on third downs, leading the team with nine receiving first downs. Samuel said he hopes the receiving corps can get more involved and help stretch the field on Thursday night.


“Wherever the ball’s going to go, it’s going to go. Whatever areas are open,” Samuel said. “We’re going to go out there and try our best to make things happen in the passing game outside.”


So how exactly can the Panthers do that in Week 2 against the Buccaneers? Two of the biggest keys to spreading the ball around are extending drives and staying ahead of the chains. Both play an instrumental role in allowing the offense to truly utilize the entire playbook.


“The more we can keep possession of the ball, the more we can run our other plays,” Wright said. “We don’t ever want to be in third-and-long, third-and-15. Sometimes we have to check down to the running back due to some things they’re doing due to the position that we put ourselves in. Stay on the field, make third downs, and that’ll be a way that everybody can get the ball more.”