CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Carolina Panthers begin the offseason searching for a general manager in addition to a head coach.
CEO Scott Fitterer was fired Monday, leaving assistant general manager Dan Morgan in charge of day-to-day operations for the time being.
Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 2, 2022 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Icon Sportswire
“As we move forward with the new direction of our franchise, I have made the decision that Scott Fitterer will no longer be our general manager,” owner David Tepper said in a statement.
Fitterer had served as general manager since 2021. He was part of the search committee that last offseason hired coach Frank Reich, who was fired after a 1-10 start.
The Panthers went an NFL-worst 2-15 this season and are 14-37 since Fitterer took control of personnel decisions.
Fitterer orchestrated the trade last offseason to go from ninth to first in the draft to select quarterback Bryce Young, who went 2-14 in his rookie season. He gave the Chicago Bears two first-round picks and star receiver DJ Moore.
This year’s relevant first-round pick will be number one overall.
Fitterer’s last three first-round picks have not fared well. In addition to Young, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (No. 6, 2022) was responsible for allowing more sacks (19) than any other offensive lineman last season, and cornerback Jaycee Horn (No. 8, 2021) has missed more of 30 games due to injuries in the last three years.
Fitterer will be remembered as much for the deal he didn’t make as for the great deal he made. Last season, he traded Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers for second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-rounder in 2024.
He turned down an offer from the Los Angeles Rams of two first-round picks for outside linebacker Brian Burns and was unable to secure a long-term deal with the two-time Pro Bowler before this season.
Fitterer also engineered moves for veteran quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield that didn’t pan out. He gave the New York Jets a sixth-round pick in 2021, plus second- and fourth-round picks in 2022, for Darnold.
He gave up a conditional 2024 draft pick, which turned out to be a fifth-rounder, for Mayfield.
Darnold’s contract was not renewed last offseason. Mayfield, who threw for more than 4,000 yards this season in leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFC South title, was released after a 1-6 record last season.
2024-01-08 15:07:00
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