The Panthers are hard at work making new head coach Matt Rhule’s staff come in to shape. There’s no official word yet, but all signs point to Phil Snow following Rhule from Baylor and being named the team’s new defensive coordinator.

Whether it’s Snow or somebody else, the front office has some brutal decisions to make about the defense this offseason. Here are four questions they will need to answer before the 2020 campaign begins.

How old is too old for the defensive line?

On paper, the Panthers’ defensive line is their strongest unit. They finished second in the league in sacks this year (53) and have as many weapons up front as any NFL team. However, several key pieces are about to become free agents and most of them are past their prime. Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin and Gerald McCoy are all over 30 years old and need new contracts if Carolina is going to keep them around. Dontari Poe is also 29 and has a huge cap hit. The Panthers have to find the right balance between youth and experience while building for the future around guys like Brian Burns.