The New York Giants decided last week to move on from former fan favorite Victor Cruz, releasing the veteran wide receiver. The first visit Cruz made in his quest to find a new home in the NFL was in Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Victor Cruz visits Panthers first in his search for a new team
The salsa-dancing veteran makes his first stop in Carolina.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
Carolina is looking to fill a void at wide receiver with Ted Ginn Jr. entering free agency, and Corey Brown entering restricted free agency. Cruz wouldn’t be a bad fit in the Panthers’ offense playing alongside Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess.
ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported that Cruz made his way out of Carolina without a deal:
Cruz has dealt with a handful of injuries that have kept him off the field for significant spans since 2014. He suffered a knee injury six games into the 2014 season, and then tweaked his hamstring as he was preparing to make his return in 2015, missing the entirety of that season.
In 2016, Cruz played in 15 games, accumulating 39 receptions and 586 yards, with one touchdown. He gradually lost targets as the season went on to Roger Lewis, Tavarres King, and Sterling Shepard.
While he may not be a top option at wideout in the NFL anymore, there’s still value there, and he could fit as a third option in a place like Carolina. The Panthers gave Jerricho Cotchery a shot in 2014, so making a move on Cruz wouldn’t be a surprise in the least.
Free agency starts on March 9, so it’s possible that Cruz won’t have a new home until then.
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