5 potential landing spots for Dez Bryant

2. Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey led the Panthers in receptions last year with 80, and wide receiver Devin Funchess delivered a good season of his own (63 catches for 840 yards and eight touchdowns). Who was next among the team’s leaders in receptions? Kelvin Benjamin, with 32 over eight games before being traded to the Buffalo Bills.

Getting tight end Greg Olsen back, after a foot injury cost him nine games last year, will help. Wide receivers Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright have been added too, via a trade and free agency respectively, but the Panthers are still being tied to wide receivers with their first-round pick in mock drafts.

Over his two full seasons with the Panthers (2015 and 2016), Benjamin averaged 68 catches for 974 yards and eight touchdowns per season. Funchess has a similar physical profile, but he’s also in line for a full season as a No. 1 wide receiver now. Smith will provide a much-needed deep threat, and Wright’s potential opportunity is likely to be tied to if the Panthers draft a wide receiver or two.

The Panthers only have around $7.5 million in salary cap space, so that’s a big barrier to signing Bryant to a deal in line with what he’ll probably want. But ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Bryant’s name has surfaced in trade discussions, and it’s fair to put Carolina toward the top of any list of teams pursuing that avenue if they can create the extra financial space by sending someone to Dallas.