The team-by-team presentation for the 2020 season continues! On the program today: the Carolina Panthers. You can find all the cards already published by clicking on this link.
It is always traumatic for a franchise to lose one of the best players in its history. The Panthers have experienced this trauma twice this offseason! While Cam Newton’s departure has been a perennial rumor for a year, Luke Kuechly’s retirement has shocked the entire league.
After a difficult 2019 season, Carolina is therefore at a turning point. Added to these departures is a total renewal of a coaching staff formerly led by Ron Rivera, in office for almost a decade. Symbol of the rejuvenation of the franchise, Matt Rhule is the new boss, and he has a heavy mission to carry out.
Last season: 5 wins – 11 losses, 4th in the NFC South, no qualifying for the playoffs.
Offseason movements
Make way for youth! Along with Newton and Kuechly, a whole generation of veterans left Caroline this spring. Greg Olsen sails to other skies, as do experienced linemen Mario Addison, Gerald McCoy and Bruce Irvin. If we add departures like that of Eric Reid, the message is clear: reconstruction will take time, and it will go through the ardor of youth, even if it means doing without the experience of the oldest.
Another strong sign, the franchise wants to rebuild the defense first, as evidenced by the seven draft picks, all defensive! Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos therefore join Brian Burns, for what could become one of the best lines in the country if it develops as planned. The defense will notably have to overcome the loss of promising James Bradberry. The arrival of Eli Apple somewhat compensates for this departure, but the group remains a global project.
On the offensive side, the arrival of receiver Robby Anderson is excellent news, but it is obviously the quarterback position that has made the most talk. The Panthers have chosen to trust Teddy Bridgewater, the former Vikings and Saints player. Long-term solution or just a parenthesis? In any case, he has a lot to prove next season. He will have targets, but the protection will have to rise to the occasion to give him time to assert himself.
Notable arrivals: Teddy Bridgewater (QB), Phillip Walker (QB), Robby Anderson (WR), Seth Roberts (WR), Seth DeValve (TE), Russell Okung (OT), Michael Schofield (G), John Miller (G), Stephen Weatherly (DE), Zach Kerr (DT), Tahir Whitehead (LB), Eli Apple (CB), Juston Burris (S).
Re-signatures : Christian McCaffrey (RB).
Draft : Derrick Brown (DT), Yetur Gross-Matos (EDGE), Jeremy Chinn (S), Troy Pride (CB), Kenny Robinson (S), Bravvion Roy (DT), Stantley Thomas-Oliver (CB)
Notable losses: Cam Newton (QB), Kyle Allen (QB), Greg Olsen (TE), Daryl Williams (OT), Trai Turner (G), Greg Van Roten (G), Mario Addison (DE), Gerald McCoy (DT), Bruce Irvin (DE), James Bradberry (CB), Ross Cockrell (CB), Javien Elliott (CB), Eric Reid (S).
They gave up because of COVID-19: Jordan Mack (LB), Christian Miller (LB),
Le(s) point(s) fort(s)
He is now THE star of the workforce. Double All Pro and member of the “99 club” of Madden, Christian McCaffrey became the third player in history to achieve 1,000 yards in reception and in the race in a season. With 2,392 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2019, he has proven that his potential has no limit, despite an irregular offensive line. In a workforce filled with question marks, he is certainty, the starting point for building a new attack.
The other strong axis is the receiving committee, which has thickened this season. DJ Moore is the leader of this group. He had 1,215 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2019 with questionable quarterbacks, in what was his second year in the league. On the other side, the former Jets Robby Anderson will finally have to pass a course, he who has never exceeded 1,000 yards despite an undeniable talent. Finally, Curtis Samuel will have less pressure and can focus on what he does best, which is receiving on deep passes.
The last strong point is the resilience of the new main coach, and his ability to take charge of teams in difficulty. When he arrived at Temple and Baylor, he overcame difficult first seasons to straighten these two universities. The Panthers squad is young and looking for benchmarks, and Rhule is on paper the man for the job.
The weak spots)
Without Kuechly, the group of linebackers are far from impressing. The most attractive profile is Shaq Thompson, a regular and reliable player, but who has never impressed to the point of being able to become the leader of this defense. The rest of the group is made up of Tahir Whitehead, a reliable veteran but weak in pass coverage, and players with very limited experience like Andre Smith or Jermaine Carter. This squad is not as promising as the line and the pass rushers, and it can be felt when it comes to defending tight ends like Travis Kelce.
Always in defense, it is on the side of the cornerbacks that doubt is allowed. Eli Apple is a talented player, but one whose chaotic start to his career suggests he might never reach his full potential. Author of a correct season at the Saints, he must become the leader of this group. On the other side of the field, the position will surely be for Donte Jackson, a former second round draft whose performance on the field is more mixed than the statistics would suggest. Author of 7 interceptions and 17 defended passes in two seasons, he is too often trapped, often taking too many risks. It is up to him to progress and learn to prove that he has the caliber of a holder.
Trai Turner’s departure from the Chargers leaves a big void in the interior of the line, where questions mount. Center Matt Paradis is coming out of a disastrous season, far from the performances of his Broncos time. As for the guards, the succession is far from assured. John Miller came in, the former Bills and Bengals is a potential starter, but not really a player of Turner’s caliber. The right guard position should be played between Dennis Daley and Michael Schofield, nothing particularly impressive.
X factor (s)
While the Panthers could have chosen to continue with quarterback Kyle Allen, and possibly seek the first pick in the next draft, Carolina chose to invest in Teddy Bridgewater, with a 3-year contract for $ 63 million.
The old first round of the 2014 draft showed last year that he can perform well when he’s surrounded by good company, but the Panthers aren’t the Saints, and succeeding in his new franchise won’t be easy. He has at least one season to convince himself that he is a long-term solution, which probably represents one of the last opportunities for him to become a long-term start in the league.
Player to watch: Russell Okung, tackle
Russell Okung has been in the NFL for almost a decade and is a respected tackle in the league. Double Pro Bowler, he will be keen to regain his level after a 2019 season marked by injuries.
If he goes back to who he once was, Okung will be a big backup for Teddy Bridgewater, and he could form a shock duo with that team’s other tackle, Taylor Moton. Winner of the Super Bowl, he has rare experience in the workforce, and his input could be invaluable in an attack lacking benchmarks. Christian McCaffrey may have a hard time finding indoor spaces, but outdoor races could be made easier with a player like Okung.
Calendar
Raiders, @Buccaneers, @Chargers, Cardinals, @Falcons, Bears, @Saints, Falcons, @Chiefs, Buccaneers, Lions, @Vikings, Broncos, @Packers, @Washington, Saints
The audio preview of the Podcast
In summary
It’s a tough season ahead of Caroline’s franchise. It has young talented players, but the overall workforce is small, and many positions are not sufficiently filled to compete in NFC South.
Patience is on the side of the Panthers, and Matt Rhule will have to overcome a truncated offseason to make this team a respectable squad in 2020. The strategy is to rebuild over several years, and the season that begins will surely be useful only. evaluate the players who will participate in this project.
