Panthers Former Ex-Historical Star WR Player Was sign with to Seahawks On the Ground Of…
After showing promise with the Jaguars, Laviska Shenault could not establish much momentum with the Panthers upon being traded. But the former second-round pick has secured another opportunity.
The Seahawks are signing Shenault, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. Twice a 600-plus-yard receiver, Shenault combined for less than 400 during his two Carolina slates. The big-bodied target, who has been used in the backfield at points, will attempt to catch on in a crowded Seahawks receiving corps.
Chosen 42nd overall during Dave Caldwell‘s final Jaguars GM year, Shenault mixed in regularly with the Doug Marrone– and Urban Meyer-led Jacksonville teams. He caught 58 passes for 600 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie and added 63 grabs for 619 yards in 2021. As Doug Pederson arrived, the Jags traded Shenault to the Panthers for sixth- and seventh-round picks.
Shenault, 25, has played for an astonishing seven head coaches in four seasons. Both the Jags and Panthers made HCs (Meyer, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich) one-and-dones as Shenault played out his rookie contract. Both teams attempted to use the 220-pound performer as a gadget-type weapon in the run game. Despite his wide receiver status, the Colorado alum has 50 career carries for 252 yards and a touchdown. The former high-end prospect has some experience as a kick returner, totaling nine returns with Carolina from 2022-23. That skill is soon set to become relevant again, with the NFL approving the XFL-style kickoff on a trial basis.
The Seahawks may well view the inconsistent target as a player in need of some stability, given the historically unusual run of HC turnover that occurred on the teams that employed him. The team has its top three — Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba — locked in, barring a trade. The Seahawks also still employ 2021 second-rounder D’Wayne Eskridge, though he has not produced much as a pro. UDFA Jake Bobo delivered some interesting work as a rookie last season, and 2022 seventh-round pick Dareke Young remains on the roster.
Shenault produced a 1,000-yard season in just nine games with the Buffaloes in 2018, elevating his draft stock. A groin injury limited him as a junior in 2019, when he accumulated just 764 yards. After delivering more inconsistency as a pro, Shenault will still have a chance to showcase his skills elsewhere.
READ MORE:
NFC Roster Reset: Biggest signings/losses, burning question for each team ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft…
Look, it’s rare that the winners of free agency end up turning their offseasons into actual wins. But after pledging to be “all in” in 2024, the Cowboys certainly disappointed with one of the quietest Marches in the NFL. They have seven picks at their disposal in the upcoming draft, but none are remarkably high on the value chart, and there are legit depth-chart questions (running back and center, for example). Dallas needs to find at least one immediate contributor in this draft, or swing a deal to land one in order to feel better entering a pivotal campaign. McCarthy needs to push the Cowboys to at least the Divisional Round to feel even somewhat comfortable with his job security, and it’s not a coincidence management let Prescott’s contract stand as is entering 2024. Everything is on the line, and it feels like the ‘Boys are still a move or two away from feeling properly prepared for this massive campaign ahead.
It’s the time of year for smokescreens and vague answers, and Giants general manager Joe Schoen has done a good job of checking both boxes. But the dust has settled on the pivotal 2023 offseason, and right now, the results don’t look good. Jones still has three years left on his four-year, $160 million deal, while Saquon Barkley — the player Schoen chose to franchise tag a year ago — is now an Eagle. Jones did nothing to inspire confidence in his long-term viability in 2023, and while Schoen isn’t giving any hints about what the Giants might do with the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, it’s not unrealistic to see him pulling the plug on the No. 6 selection from 2019, drafting a quarterback and hitting reset on the position.
The weight of expectation — and perhaps a bit too much complacency — buried the Eagles in the final two months of the 2023 season, and it appears as if longtime general manager Howie Roseman isn’t interested in allowing a repeat performance in 2024. He traded away Haason Reddick, effectively swapping him out for Bryce Huff. He let D’Andre Swift and Kevin Byard walk, replacing them with equal — if not better — talents in Saquon Barkley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Adding DeVante Parker gives the team veteran depth at receiver, while Roseman pulled a move that very much fit his style when he snagged the disgruntled former first-round QB Kenny Pickett from the team residing on the other side of the state. Will all of this amount to an improvement, or will results still come down to the coaching staff and the most important contributors? And are the Eagles prepared to replace Jason Kelce with either Cam Jurgens or a draft pick? It all remains to be seen,