The season wasn’t exactly a glamorous one to speak on for the Panthers. That aside, the team that always seems to fly under the radar has been making moves. A team that was one game from the playoffs by the less-than-par NFC South, has a strong setup which should not underestimated. The moves they have and potentially will make are filling key top to bottom. What moves might those be you may ask?
COACHING
There is an immediate splash in the Panthers coaching pool with not just the hiring of Frank Reich, but one of his predecessors from Indianapolis in Jim Caldwell. Caldwell has just proven to be successful; he has shown that he can earn the respect of his plyers on any level. Reich’s proven to be not just a competent, but also a developer of offenses and quarterbacks. That is something this team is craving after the downfall of the Cam Newton era. Thus, enter in Josh McCown. Like Ken Dorsey, the Offensive Coordinator (OC) of the Buffalo Bills, he is former journeyman Quarterback (QB) but still flushed with wisdom and coaching experience. This isn’t so dissimilar as the superior in Frank Reich. He was once a journeyman QB but on a sidenote; the first QB for the Panthers franchise in its inception. He was highly considered for the Houston Texans Head Coaching (HC) job, and is widely regarded as a strong developers in the QB position. However, the next question would be who are they passing to?
AQUISITIONS
The most intriguing solution after dealing the primary target in DJ Moore would be Adam Thielen, whom is a previous receiving phenom. Though he is past is formidable years, there are many traits such as leadership, consistency, and experience as the most beneficial trait. There are many overlooked transactions that have flown right under the metaphoric radar. Bengals’ Tight End (TE) Hayden Hurst along with the renewal of TE Ian Thomas will make for a formidable passing duo for a rookie QB. The only other substantial news on the free agency thus far is the extension of one of the crucial pieces on the offensive line, Bradley Bozeman. It may seem insignificant to the unobserved eye, but Bozeman is arguably the lynchpin of this unit. This is also a line that ranked top 10 in efficiency for QB time in the pocket along with run-blocking efficiency according to NFL analytics.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR A STEP FORWARD?
In the wake of this trade that Carolina made with Chicago, the path seems clear for the Panthers. The choice of Bryce Young and CJ Stroud appear the evident focuses as two proven examples at the collegiate level. Believed to be undersized, Stroud was the initial favorite for that top spot. That has however changed recently with many NFL insiders reporting the Panthers are keen on Young despite his size. That has been confirmed in other circles, though the team rejects all claims. On other moves necessary this offseason, the area still needing to addressed is receiver. This is a dry-market year in this department as well as the draft class. That does not mean that’s not in the cards for the Panthers. Other than that they need more depth on the Running Back (RB) position to fill out the roster. This writer believes though that the Carolina Panthers are in better shape than most may think.
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