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By Michael Gallagher
Sports Content Coordinator
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NFL teams have been easing into training camp while several others will be reporting over the next few days.
Teams will brave the summer heat for a little over a week until the preseason begins when the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers face off in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 6 on NBC. Week 1 of the preseason officially kicks off the following week on Aug. 13.
In counting down until the NFL regular season starts on Sept. 9, we continue to look at key offseason storylines for each of the league’s 32 teams. Next up in our offseason series is power ranking every wide receiver room in each of the NFL’s eight divisions. Next up is the NFC South.
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1- Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, John Metchie III, Jimmy Horn Jr.
Carolina has the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year in Tetairoa McMillan, who put up 70 catches, 1,014 yards, and seven touchdowns last year. Pairing him with Xavier Legette, a former first-round pick who has 860 yards and seven touchdowns on 84 catches in two seasons, is a solid 1-2 punch.
Fresh off a $35 million contract extension, Jalen Coker may be out to prove he deserved that kind of money. He had just 33 receptions, 394 yards, and three touchdowns last year. From top to bottom, the Panthers may just have the deepest WR room in the division.
2- Tampa Bay Bucs: Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr., Tez Johnson, Jalen McMilan, Kameron Johnson
Emeka Egbuka burst onto the scene with 63 catches, 938 yards, and six scores last year, firmly establishing himself as Tampa’s new WR1. If Chris Godwin is healthy, the Bucs could have the best 1-2 punch in the NFC South. Godwin is a four-time 1,000-yard receiver who has scored 41 touchdowns since 2017.
Tez Johnson, Jalen McMillan, and Kameron Johnson all have lots of potential, but whether any of them can establish themselves as a great WR3 or potential WR2 remains to be seen.
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3- New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, Barion Brown, Devaughn Vele
If not for injuries, it’s possible Chris Olave would have four straight 1,000-yard seasons to his name. But in the years he’s been health and played at least 15 games, he’s averaged 86 receptions 1,109 yards, and six scores.
The Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson in the first round back in April to pair with Olave on the outside, and they bolstered their WR depth with fellow rookies Bryce Lance and Barion Brown. Devaughn Vele, who logged 25 receptions, 293 yards, and two TDs last year, is also a solid contributor as well.
4- Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, Zachariah Branch, Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheus
What’s crazy is the Falcons have the best receiver in the division in Drake London. Injuries limited him to 12 games last year, but he was still just 81 yards shy of 1,000. London is just one year removed from a 100-catch, 1,271-yard season.
Atlanta’s Achilles heel is the depth (or lack thereof) behind London. Rookie Zachariah Branch has tons of upside, but he’s playing for a new system and with a new QB, so no one knows what to expect from him. Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheus have bounced around the last few years, and they’re solid depth pieces.
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