CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl cleared his throat, as if trying not to laugh at how ridiculously obvious his answer to the question would be, when asked where his group is today compared to a year ago.

“Oh, my god!" Proehl said last week. “It’s unbelievable a difference a year a makes."

Proehl had one of the toughest positional jobs in the NFL when offseason workouts began in 2014. Between the release of franchise all-time leading receiver Steve Smith and free-agent losses, Proehl was stripped of his top four wide receivers from the previous season. He was asked to rebuild without the benefit of financial support to sign top-name, proven players.

Kelvin Benjamin leads a talented and versatile Panthers receiving group that is much improved compared to a year ago. Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

He didn’t have a receiver in his meeting room who had caught a pass from quarterback Cam Newton in a regular-season game. Outside of 2014 first-round draft pick Kelvin Benjamin, he had three middle-of-the-road free agents (Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant and Tiquan Underwood) and a bunch of no-names.

Underwood didn’t make the 53-man roster out of training camp and currently is with Hamilton in the Canadian Football league. Avant didn’t make it through the season with the Panthers.

Now?

“We’ve got every weapon in our arsenal," Proehl said.

Yes, Proehl is excited. In 6-foot-5 Benjamin, who proved to be a solid replacement for Smith, and 2015 second-round draft pick Devin Funchess (6-4), he has players who can create mismatches all over the field.

In Stephen Hill (6-5), a second-round draft pick by the New York Jets in 2012 who spent last season on Carolina’s practice squad, he has what amounts to an additional draft pick.

In Ted Ginn Jr., who left for Arizona in 2014 because the Panthers were too strapped under the salary cap to re-sign him, and 2014 undrafted rookie Corey Brown, he has the speed to stretch defenses deep.

In Cotchery, 32, he has an experienced veteran who provides leadership to the group.

In free-agent Jarrett Boykin, he has a young player who caught 49 passes with Green Bay two seasons ago.

The competition is so much stronger now than a year ago that Brenton Bersin, who played in 15 games and started one in 2014, will have a tough time making the roster.

“I look around my room and you’ve just got not just really good football players, but good guys that work hard, that study, smart players," Proehl said. “From a coaching standpoint, it’s exciting that you can go out and really coach."

The Panthers aren’t ready to challenge for the most talented group of receivers in the NFL. But when you put this group with Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen and backup tight end Ed Dickson it will be hard for defenses to load up against the run as they did in 2014.

It also will be tougher for defenses to double-team Benjamin, who caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

“It takes a lot of pressure of off Kelvin; it takes a lot of pressure off of Greg," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said. “It takes a lot of pressure off the running game. When you couple that with Corey Brown and what he does for us and Stephen Hill ... it’s going to add to what we want to do offensively."

That ultimately will make Newton more dangerous as a runner and passer.

Proehl couldn’t say any of this a year ago.

“We’re going to have to let some good players go," Proehl said. “It’ll work itself out, but as a coach, if I can’t be productive with what I’ve got, then that’s on me."