Will 2020 finally deliver the Curtis Samuel breakout season we've all been waiting for?
Yes, we know — you read that headline up there and your first thoughts probably range from skepticism to downright disbelief.
You’re probably not alone in these thoughts, though. Most, if not everybody, has expected more from Carolina Panthers wide receiver, Curtis Samuel. He’s yet to surpass 55 catches or 700 receiving yards or 6 touchdowns in a given season throughout his three-year career. But there have been glimpses, however fleeting, of Samuel’s potential.
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Now, together with a new coaching staff, offensive system, and a new quarterback, could the breakout arrive in 2020?
Fantasy analysts Liz Loza and Matt Harmon discuss his chances in the video above.
Recently, new Panthers OC Joe Brady had some glowing remarks regarding Samuel — remarks we know Matt is ecstatic about. Some of those quotes include: “Curtis is going to be critical to our success ...,” “He’s the one guy I can’t wait to see ...,” “He fits the mold of what we’re looking for in this type of offense as a guy you utilize all around the field,” and “I’m excited for him to take the next leap.”
Last year, Samuel played the role of a one-note player, running go-routes almost all the time, running straight down the field awaiting a throw from a quarterback who couldn’t make them.
But Matt says that if the Panthers give Samuel some of the shallower routes that his teammate DJ Moore got in 2019 while leaving the deep routes to new addition, Robby Anderson — and if Joe Brady lives up to his quotes — we could see the breakout finally come to fruition with Samuel given more opportunities to shine.
