Good news, Carolina Panthers fans! Your team won’t stink this year. . . . Well, at least they won’t deliberately try to stink as part of a total rebuild.
According to Charles Robinson at Yahoo Sports, Carolina general manager Marty Hurney will aim towards a “mixed reboot” rather than a total rebuild. That “everyone is on the table” sentiment, which was their reported approach heading into the scouting combine two weeks ago, is gone. So, what does a reboot look like as opposed to a good old-fashioned blow-the-whole-thing-up scenario?
For one, your Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey jerseys won’t be outdated for the upcoming season (assuming that still happens). The roster’s key pieces who aren’t about to become free agents will likely all remain in place. That should include defensive tackle Kawann Short, wide receivers Curtis Samuel and D.J. Moore, safety Eric Reid and linebacker Shaq Thompson, who is just three months moved from inking a four-year, $54.2 million extension.
The try-to-compete-in-2020 mode also jives with their recent acquisition of left tackle Russell Okung. One season of Okung, who is on an expiring contract, is arguably more valuable than one year of right guard Trai Turner given the importance of blindside protection as well as Turner’s recent regression.
Additionally, Carolina’s crop of young up-and-comers isn’t far from hitting their stride. Outside linebacker Brian Burns, cornerback Donte Jackson, tight end Ian Thomas and right tackle Taylor Moton – to name a few – have all flashed signs of promise and are primed to begin contributing more. Those players should all be returning in 2020.
Now that they’ve decided not to blow it all up, the front office’s main challenge is reconstructing a much-depleted defense, one that was already embarrassing this past year.
As of right now, they’ll only have approximately $30 million in cap space and a few high-end draft picks, headlined by No. 7 overall selection, to either bring back or help replace the likes of cornerback James Bradberry, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, pass rushers Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin and of course retired linebacker Luke Kuechly. It will probably take more than just one year to accomplish.
In the meantime, this sheds more light on two other key pieces inside the organization.
First, the team will very likely allow Cam Newton to play out the final year of his contract. This lets them reevaluate their commitment to the soon-to-be 31-year-old quarterback. If Newton heals up and returns to his former MVP form, then they’ll already have their franchise QB and won’t have to go through a potentially long and painful process of finding another. All they’d have to do is extend him.
Secondly, this reveals not every part of the Panthers’ brass is on the same page. Hurney, whose deal only runs through 2020, is on a mission to compete now and extend his shelf life in Charlotte. New head coach Matt Rhule, though, has been given a lucrative seven-year blessing from owner David Tepper to build up a winning organization “the right way.”
The mixed signals continue.
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