Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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CHARLOTTE – Curtis Samuel came into offseason workouts as a rookie in 2017 knowing he had a lot to learn about being an NFL wide receiver, but even his breakneck speed couldn’t get him around the learning curve any faster.
Now, after two offseasons filled with stops and starts – and regular seasons with the same – Samuel is full-go at the start of organized team activities for the first time and couldn’t be happier about it.
“I’m just trying to take care of myself day in and day out to get myself the best chance to stay on the field and help my team. I can’t help my team from the sideline,” Samuel said after the Panthers kicked off OTAs on Tuesday. “This is probably the first year, not to jinx it, that I’ve started off feeling pretty good. That’s a good thing.
“I’m super excited. I was able to get in some great training, fully healthy and able to run around, and now I’m coming into OTAs feeling great.”
For the first time in his career, Samuel is able to pick up where he left off the previous season, a season that ended with him emerging as a go-to receiver alongside then-rookie DJ Moore.
Samuel and Moore put up nearly identical numbers over the final six games of the 2018 season – Samuel with 22 catches for 315 yards and two touchdowns, Moore with 25 catches for 314 yards. Only running back Christian McCaffrey, on his way to breaking the NFL record for receptions by a running back, put up bigger numbers down the stretch.
Jarius Wright maintained his critical receiving role on third down over the final weeks of the season, but Devin Funchess fell out of the rotation and signed with the Colts this offseason, while Torrey Smith’s snaps were limited coming off a knee injury.
It was mostly the Samuel and Moore show, and 2019 could bring more of the same.