There's another weapon headed to Charlotte for Teddy Bridgewater to have some fun with. It appears Matt Rhule still feels like the Carolina Panthers need to sharpen their wide receiver corps going into his first year as the club's head coach, and it doesn't help that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of preseason games that would've given him more time and a better platform to evaluate talent. That being the case, and with the regular season rapidly approaching, Rhule and the Panthers have reportedly signed former XFL receiver Cam Phillips -- per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network -- reuniting him with quarterback P.J. Walker in the process.
Phillips and Walker took the XFL by storm prior to the shutdown driven by the aforementioned COVID-19 pandemic. The 24-year-old became the favorite target of Walker for the Houston Roughnecks, going on to lead all XFL wideouts with 455 receiving yards in only five games, and he threw in nine touchdowns for good measure.
This won't be Phillips' first attempt to find a home in the NFL, having been signed out of undrafted free agency in 2018 by the Buffalo Bills. The former Virginia Tech standout is certainly not short on talent, as noted above and in how he took home First-Team All-ACC honors in 2017, and could serve the Panthers well -- for what they'll ask of him. The team is seeking a wideout who can stretch the field and, in turn, help Christian McCaffrey operate in less traffic, and Phillips will get a chance to prove he's just that.
He was named XFL Star of the Week in the Roughnecks third game of the season, after racking up 194 yards -- including an 84-yard touchdown -- on only eight receptions. Known for his ability to separate from defenders, Phillips must now separate himself from the other receivers in camp who are vying for the same role, if he wants to get a nod on the final roster later this month.
