Written by Dan Schneier at 24/7 Sports.com
Victor Cruz could be one step closer to finding his next NFL team.
According to Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, via ProFootballTalk, Cruz visited the Carolina Panthers this past weekend and met with general manager Dave Gettleman.
As we broke down in Cruz’s top landing spots, the Panthers make the most sense for a host of reasons, but they all start with Gettleman. Before being hired as the Panthers’ general manager, Gettleman worked as a key member of the New York Giants’ front office when the franchise first discovered Cruz.
The Panthers are also a great fit from a football standpoint. Quarterback Cam Newton needs a reliable receiver and someone who can find the open zones while operating out of the slot. The Panthers seem likely to start Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess — two former top draft picks — on the outside in 2017. Both receivers are listed at 6-5. This would make Cruz the perfect fit in the slot.
According to the report, Cruz left the visit without a contract and is expected to have one more free-agent visit lined up already.
Cruz posted disappointing numbers in 2016 during his first season back since tearing his patellar tendon in October of 2014. He finished with just 39 receptions for 586 yards receiving and one touchdown. Having said that, there are plenty of factors that played a role in Cruz’s disappointing numbers.
For starters, Cruz was playing out of position. After making his mark as a slot receiver in the earlier parts of his career, the Giants attempted to use him as an outside (boundary) receiver because they had rookie Sterling Shepard lined up in the slot. Cruz would most likely be signed to play the slot with the Panthers.
Cruz’s numbers also struggled because the Giants’ offense struggled. The offensive line — specifically the offensive tackles — made it very difficult for the Giants to find any kind of rhythm on offense. The Giants’ offense was near the bottom of the NFL in third-down conversion percentage and they did not do a great job of sustaining drives. Cruz’s numbers and his involvement in the offense suffered as a result.
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