Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow has his work cut out for him. It’s difficult to think of a coordinator coming into a more difficult set of circumstances for the 2020 season.
Not only has Snow’s defense lost six starters from last season plus a few key role players, the replacements he’s gotten amount to the youngest NFL defense in a decade. Throw in no traditional offseason program and no preseason games and you’ve got a mountain of a challenge for any coach. As is probably appropriate, this Carolina defense is ranked No. 32 in the league by Sheil Kapadia at the Athletic.
“Matt Rhule’s squad spent all seven draft selections on the defensive side of the ball. That included using the seventh overall pick on defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The Panthers have some nice young pieces, and edge rusher Brian Burns could end up being a star. But they’re young and looking at six new starters with a new scheme and a new coordinator. That’s tough, given the nature of this offseason.”
Tough is the understatement of the year.
If Carolina is able to field anything better than a bottom-five defense it will prove that Snow is very capable at his job.
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