Should the Minnesota Vikings try to acquire WR Curtis Samuel?

Carolina Panthers receiver Curtis Samuel might be available on the trade block. Should the Minnesota Vikings inquire about the former second-round pick?

On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers signed former New York Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson to a two-year contract. With D.J. Moore already on the Panthers’ roster as the primary target, fellow wide receiver Curtis Samuel may be the odd man out. His trade market should be abundant and the Minnesota Vikings should be interested in the 23-year-old receiver.

Samuel was selected with the 40th overall pick back in the 2017 draft by Carolina. Since entering the NFL, he has had a decent career, but he has dealt with poor quarterback play. With three seasons under his belt, Samuel has yet to reach his expectations.

Now, the Panthers have two legitimate targets on offense to help out Teddy Bridgewater as he takes over in Carolina. Matt Rhule and Joe Brady are changing the direction of the organization and big changes have already occurred. Cam Newton and Greg Olsen are no longer in the building. So could Samuel be on his way out next?

Production

Samuel is coming off the best professional season of his career, a year in which he caught 54 balls for 627 yards and six touchdowns. He set career highs in each of the major receiving categories while having some success on the ground as well. He rushed 19 times for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Explosiveness has never been an issue for Samuel and he can turn anything into a big play. Of his 139 career offensive touches, 79 have resulted in first downs while 14 have gone for scores. 93 of his 139 touches, or 67 percent, have directly resulted in success.

He also has some experience in the return game. Between 2017 and 2018, Samuel returned 20 kicks for 430 yards, good for a 21.5-yards-per-return average.