Damiere Byrd had a great chance taken away. Now he’s ‘flying around’ for Panthers
Damiere Byrd finally showed flashes of being a playmaker for the Panthers in 2017 before injuries sidelined him on two separate occasions. Now healthy, the former South Carolina star is ready to pick up where he left on and is hoping to have a breakout year this season.
Byrd was on the Panthers practice squad for the majority of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, working to prove that he was more than just a track star trying to play football.
He started putting it all together late last year, catching five passes for 37 yards Week 14 against the Vikings and a pair of touchdowns a week later against the Packers.
Byrd was also off to a strong start Week 16 against the Buccaneers as he had a career-long 31-yard reception and set a franchise-record with a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown before suffering a leg injury that cost him the rest of the year.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder had the three best games of his career before missing the regular season finale against the Falcons and the playoff loss to the Saints with the injury.
“I think I really was coming into my own. Everything was slowing down for me. Unfortunately that happened so I’ve got to get back on track,” Byrd said this week at training camp in Spartanburg. “I’m out here flying around. I feel healthy… I feel good. I feel like everything’s back. Everything’s firing on all cylinders right now.”
Byrd is currently as confident as he has ever been on an NFL practice field after appearing in eight games, with three starts in 2017.
He missed weeks 5-12 last season with a broken arm but showed no signs of rust when he returned, catching 10 passes for 105 yards during a four-game stretch before suffering the leg injury.
Byrd learned last year that he can be a big time player at the NFL level when healthy.
“I think more opportunities came and as those opportunities came I was able to capitalize on them. Once you take advantage of one opportunity that’s when you get more,” Byrd said. “I think I can just make plays. I think over the years I’ve demonstrated that. With the kind of offense that we have it’s prime for people like me, fast guys who can make big plays.”
Even with his success late last season, Byrd still feels like he has something to prove.
He is battling with fellow receivers Devin Funchess, DJ Moore, Torrey Smith, Curtis Samuel and Jarius Wright for playing time, and he needs to impress during training camp and in the preseason to ensure that he is a part of the Panthers rotation at receiver.
“Every year they bring in new people to play. With the position I’m in I’m always going to be that hungry guy looking in. I’ve always got to fight for my role,” Byrd said.
But it helps that he is as confident and comfortable as he has ever been.
“You have to be able to revert back to what you’ve done, and when I was on the field I played very well and I was able to make plays to help the team win,” Byrd said. “So standing on that now I know what I’m able to do and I’m able to focus on day-to-day and getting better in every aspect.”
This story was originally published August 7, 2018 at 4:09 PM.