CHARLOTTE – Wide receiver Chris Hogan, a Super Bowl winner twice in his three seasons with the Patriots, has signed a one-year contract with the Panthers.
An unrestricted free agent, the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder has been a productive pass catcher in the AFC East for the past five seasons. A versatile receiver who can play outside and in the slot, Hogan and DeSean Jackson tied for the NFL lead in 2016 with 17.9 yards per reception.
Undrafted out of Monmouth University in 2011, Hogan has 194 catches for 2,610 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career. Since 2016, he ranks second in the NFL with 542 postseason receiving yards and is tied for first with four receiving touchdowns.
Hogan caught 35 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns in 2018 – comparable to his numbers in New England the previous two years and his final two years in Buffalo before that - but it took him awhile to establish himself. He was a surprise star in 2012 when the Dolphins were featured on the HBO series "Hard Knocks," earning the nickname "7-Eleven" for always being open. But that was his third team in his second NFL season, and it wouldn't be until 2013 with the Bills that he played in his first regular season game and made his first catch.
Since catching 10 balls that season, he was rarely a focal point but was always a factor in Buffalo and New England. Beginning with the 2014 season, he has averaged 37 catches for 503 yards a year, never catching fewer than 34 balls for fewer than 426 yards.
View photos of Carolina's newly signed wide receiver from his time with the Patriots and Bills.
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) runs a route during the NFL Super Bowl LIII football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019 in Atlanta. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) grabs a pass during the NFL football Super Bowl LI game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34 - 28 in overtime. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) makes a reception during the fourth quarter of an AFC championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) runs with the ball after a catch during a week 15 NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh won 17-10. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, celebrates his touchdown pass to Chris Hogan during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Tennessee Titans, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan catches a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) celebrates a touchdown reception with tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl LII football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, in Minneapolis. The Eagles won 41-33. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan runs for yardage after a catch in action against the Miami Dolphins Sunday September 30, 2018 in Foxboro, Mass. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) on the field during warm ups prior to prior to the NFL AFC Championship football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) celebrates after making a first down in front of New York Jets' Morris Claiborne (21) and Marcus Maye (26) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New England Patriots' Chris Hogan celebrates after catching a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan celebrates a first down during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Gillette Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018 in Foxborough, Mass. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) celebrates after an NFL Super Bowl LI football game against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime. (Perry Knotts via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) celebrates his touchdown catch with Danny Amendola, left, and Brandin Cooks, right, during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan works out prior to an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in East Rutherford. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
New England Patriots Chris Hogan (15) runs between Atlanta Falcons' Deion Jones, left, and Ricardo Allen during overtime of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) spikes the football after a touchdown during the NFL Super Bowl LII football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018 in Minneapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) jumps to catch a 26-yard touchdown pass during Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018 in Minneapolis. The Eagles won the game, 41-33. (Greg Trott via AP)
New England Patriots Chris Hogan (15) celebrates after of the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Houston. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
(Tom DiPace via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan (15), defended by Detroit Lions cornerback Nevin Lawson (24), pulls in a 32-yard pass for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) runs with the ball after making a catch during a week 4 NFL football game against the New York Giants on October 4, 2015 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York (Evan Pinkus via AP)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) pulls in alas in front of Tennessee Titans strong safety Da'Norris Searcy (21) in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) catches a pass for a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday, September 27, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) reacts after his touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Buffalo Bills' Chris Hogan (15) catches a pass out of bounds against Philadelphia Eagles' Malcolm Jenkins (27) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
