Naanee has no problem being No. 2 – Charlotte Observer
Posted: Tuesday, Aug. 09, 2011
SPARTANBURG It took Legedu Naanee one practice to make an impression on Panthers receiver Steve Smith.
Naanee, still jet lagged after flying in from San Diego, caught two passes Saturday at Fan Fest, including a 15-yard touchdown strike from Cam Newton.
Asked about his new teammate after the two-hour practice, Smith said: “I know by today, he can make plays.”
Good thing, because those have been lacking lately at the No. 2 receiver spot.
With second-year wideouts Brandon LaFell and David Gettis sidelined by hamstring injuries last week and Armanti Edwards cooling off after a hot start to training camp, Panthers coach Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski turned to a familiar face to create competition.
Naanee (whose full name is pronounced LEG-ah-do nah-NAY) spent four years in San Diego, where Rivera was the defensive coordinator and Chudzinski coached the tight ends.
When the Chargers chose not to re-sign him, Naanee signed a one-year deal with the Panthers after drawing interest from Minnesota, as well.
“I had a couple of opportunities,” Naanee said Monday. “I was real intrigued by this one with coach Rivera and coach Chud. And getting to work with a guy like Steve, who’s been an elite receiver at his position for so long.”
With Vincent Jackson holding out for 10 weeks last year, Naanee started nine games for the Chargers. He finished with 23 catches for a career-high 371 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Naanee, 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, appeared in 54 games in San Diego. He caught 63 passes for 746 yards and three touchdowns.
He brings experience to a receiving corps that has little of that beyond Smith.
“I’ve played in games. I’ve been around playoff teams in big situations, big games,” Naanee said. “Just another dimension to add to what they already have here.”
Twice in recent days Rivera has expressed the need for another receiver to emerge and take pressure off Smith, a four-time Pro Bowler who turned 32 in the offseason. LaFell and Gettis, who combined for 75 receptions as rookies in 2010, returned to practice Monday night.
“We’re looking for a guy that’s going to make plays, a guy that’s willing to come in and block. And for a guy that can ascend and become the guy that’s going to take over at that position,” Rivera said. “I think the biggest thing right now is we’ve had nobody step to the forefront.”
Naanee can help the young receivers with his knowledge of Chudzinski’s offense, which he said is “very similar” to what the Chargers ran. But Rivera sees Naanee as much more than a mentor.
“With a guy like Legedu Naanee who’s out there, who’s been in a No. 2 in certain situations in San Diego, who knows the system, we thought this would be a good opportunity to bring a guy in that has that kind of potential and ability,” Rivera said. “And we’re not giving up on anybody, by any means. We really believe that the other guys all have the opportunity to ascend as well. We’ll make that judgment come Sept. 11.”
Naanee, who turns 28 next month, was arrested in February in Indianapolis on charges of public intoxication and resisting arrest. He said those charges were dismissed in the spring, and he is ready to put the incident behind him.
Naanee, who cramped up at the end of Saturday’s practice, said it was hard waiting until the second week of free agency to find a team. But he believes he landed in the right spot, and is excited to be working with Chudzinski and Rivera again.
“The cool thing about Ron is he always speaks to everyone. And that’s a big thing when he got here people noticed about him,” Naanee said. “He was like that in San Diego when he was a defensive coordinator. He walks by you and asks you how you’re doing, and he knows your name.”
The Panthers hope Naanee is a household name in Charlotte by season’s end.
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