Tag: Carolina Panthers

Panthers 2020 draft class ranked No. 14 by NFL.com

Even though the Panthers got a B+ grade for their haul, NFL.com only ranks their draft class No. 14 in the league this year.

The Carolina Panthers made history last weekend, becoming the first team in the common era to use all of their draft picks on defensive players. They’ll have to lean heavily on those rookies in order to fill out a depth chart that was decimated by free agency and Luke Kuechly’s retirement.

So, how did they do? Early reviews of the draft class have been generally positive. However, what matters is how good it is compared to the competition. Even though the Panthers got a B+ grade for their haul, NFL.com only ranks their draft class No. 14 in the league this year.

“Long story short, Carolina came into this draft with serious needs on all three levels of the defense. In Round 1, the Panthers passed on do-everything playmaker Isaiah Simmons in favor of a stout anchor to build around (Brown). In Round 2, they snagged a toolsy edge rusher to hunt opposite last year’s first-round pick, Brian Burns, and then traded back into the round to score Chinn, an intriguing hybrid who feels like store-brand Simmons.”

Unless Brown turns into another first-team All-Pro, the decision to pass on Simmons may come back to haunt this franchise.

Brown was a safe pick though and it’s extremely unlikely he will be a bust. The bigger question is how many starters they got and how soon they’ll turn into reliable starters for a defense that looks ripe for destruction given the weapons the Saints, Buccaneers and Falcons have on the other side of the ball.

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NFL team win total best bets: How many games will the Carolina Panthers win in 2020?

Assessing the Carolina Panthers” projected win total for the 2020 NFL season, with best bets for their Over/Under.

How many games will the Carolina Panthers win in the 2020 NFL season? We look at BetMGM‘s projected win total and the Over/Under odds, while looking back at the 2019 season and key offseason roster changes.

Carolina Panthers’ 2019 season

The Panthers fumbled their way to a five-win season in 2019, including a dismal 2-6 straight-up record at home, a 2-10 SU mark in the NFC and a 1-5 SU record inside the NFC South.

They were 6-9-1 against the spread while hitting the Over in 11 of their 16 games during the ugly campaign. In addition, the Panthers fired head coach Ron Rivera, now with the Washington Redskins, and they have since parted ways with a key member of their offense.

Carolina Panthers’ 2020 offseason changes

The Panthers ended up releasing former MVP QB Cam Newton after nine seasons, turning the page after selecting him with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. They are replacing him with QB Teddy Bridgewater, who resurrected his career with the New Orleans Saints a season ago. While the Panthers added WR Robby Anderson, the team lost DE Mario Addison, CB James Bradberry, DL Gerald McCoy and OT Daryl Williams to free agency. Defensive cornerstone and fan-favorite LB Luke Kuechly elected to retire.

The Panthers restocked their defense in the draft, as new head coach Matt Rhule and the team used all seven picks on that side of the ball. DL Derrick Brown was added with the seventh overall pick, EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos and S Jeremy Chinn were nabbed in the second round, CB Troy Pride Jr. was picked in the fourth, S Kenny Robinson Jr. was grabbed in the fifth, DL Bravvion Roy in the sixth and CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III in the seventh.

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Carolina Panthers’ 2020 opponents

The Panthers square off with the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders at home, as well as the usual divisional battles against the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They hit the road to meet the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins, while also facing the Buccaneers, Falcons and Saints.

Carolina Panthers’ 2020 win total: Best bet

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Projected wins: 5.5 / OVER: -120 / UNDER: +100

The Panthers scratched out just five victories last season. While they have dynamic RB Christian McCaffrey still in the fold, they lost Kuechly, Newton, and, some might argue, their identity. They’re also breaking in a first-time NFL coach who will not have the luxury of a regular offseason program.

In addition, the Bucs, in particular, improved dramatically, while the Falcons and Saints will also be tough. UNDER 5.5 wins (-120) is the lean here, although the Panthers should be much improved defensively.

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Panthers confirm Michael Schofield signing, cut a RB

Schofield has several connections with his new team.

The Panthers have confirmed the signing of former Chargers offensive lineman Michael Schofield, which was first reported by Jeremy Fowler at ESPN on Thursday.

Schofield has several connections with his new team, including offensive line coach Pat Meyer and two other starting offensive linemen. Meyer was his position coach on the Chargers. Schofield also previously played with left tackle Russell Okung and center Matt Paradis when he was in Denver.

There’s no official word on what position Schofield will be playing for the Panthers, but our best guess is he will take Greg Van Roten’s place at left guard. John Miller is another possibility. However, he seems like a better fit replacing Trai Turner at right guard.

In any case, we now know who will start along the front line. The team’s best lineman is currently right tackle Taylor Moton, who deserves a contract extension. He rounds out the starting five.

In a corresponding move, the Panthers released running back Marcus Murphy. The recent signing of Minnesota’s Rodney Smith might have made him expendable. We’re predicting Smith will be third on the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey and Reggie Bonnafon.

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New Carolina Panthers NFL face masks are the perfect COVID-19 prevention for football fans, Where to get them

Looking to support your NFL favorite, Carolina Panthers in these unprecedented times, look no further than purchasing a Panthers facial covering. These facial coverings are to help protect the health and safety of fans amid the COVID-19 outbreak. …

Looking to support your NFL favorite, Carolina Panthers in these unprecedented times, look no further than purchasing a Panthers facial covering. These facial coverings are to help protect the health and safety of fans amid the COVID-19 outbreak. What better way to show off your team’s colors than a facial covering with their logo?

Carolina Panthers

These facial coverings come in a three-pack, adult and youth sizes available and are for pre-sale only, $25.00. These face coverings include three reusable, anti-dust face coverings with team-colored design and team logo displays and will ship no later than June 15th.

While the coverings allow for breathability, they are for personal use only and are not intended for a medical purpose.

The NFL and FOCO will support the CDC Foundation by donating all NFL proceeds from the sale of these licensed face coverings. The CDC Foundation is currently mobilized to support CDC, health departments, and others in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cover up while you represent your favorite team in this Carolina Panthers face covering!

Teddy Bridgewater shares details of his ridiculous 5-hour bike ride workout

Professional athletes are cut just a little bit different than the rest of us.

Professional athletes are cut just a little bit different than the rest of us. Natural physical gifts certainly don’t hurt their chances, but you don’t get to play in the NFL unless your will to exercise is far more extreme than the average sports fan.

Observe the details of Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s Saturday bike-ride, which he just shared on Twitter. Bridgewater’s screengrabs show he biked five hours, totaling over 74 miles and burning 3,000+ calories.

Bananas.

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Watch: College highlights for Panthers undrafted RB Rodney Smith

Watch: College highlights for Panthers undrafted RB Rodney Smith

The Panthers signed a lot of undrafted free agents this year to help fill out their roster, which currently stands at 88 players.

One of the more interesting additions is Minnesota running back Rodney Smith (5-foot-11, 210 pounds). During his time in college, he totaled 4,125 yards on 879 carries and scored 29 touchdowns. Smith runs smooth, finishes strong and might be an ideal change-of-pace option behind Christian McCaffrey.

Let’s take a look at Smith’s college tape to learn more.

Smith vs. Iowa

Smith vs. Illinois

Smith vs. Auburn

Smith vs. Rutgers

Smith vs. New Mexico State

Smith vs. Nebraska

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5 things to know about new Bears WR Ted Ginn Jr.

Ted Ginn Jr. has made a name for himself as a speedster, which is exactly why the Bears signed him.

The Chicago Bears added more speed to their offense with the signing of veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who signed a one-year deal with the team on Thursday.

Ginn has made a name for himself for being a speedster in his 13-year career, and even at 35 years old, he’s still capable of being a playmaker — whether that’s on offense or special teams. Which is exactly what the Bears are hoping for.

Let’s get to know the newest Bears receiver/return specialist:

1. Ginn might be a 13-year veteran, but he’s still got it

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Make no mistake, despite entering his 14th season, Ginn’s still got it at 35 years old. After the Saints signed Emmanuel Sanders in free agency, Ginn tested the free-agency waters and settled on a one-year deal with the Bears.

Ginn has made it clear that he has no intention of retiring, saying: “I’ve still got a few years left in me.” Now, he’ll get a chance to shine in a new home on an offense desperate for speed, which he’s got plenty of.

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Panthers QB P.J. Walker writes about his XFL experience

In a piece for The Player’s Tribune, Walker wrote about how every player in the league was on a mission.

Panthers quarterback P.J. Walker was the standout star for the XFL this year before its season was cut short due to COVID-19.

His Houston Roughnecks were 5-0 and he was the clear-cut frontrunner to win the league’s MVP award. Walker was thrilling the football world with highlights reminiscent of some of the game’s best quarterbacks – he was the XFL’s answer to Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson, who we have ranked as the top two QBs in the NFL right now.

Walker’s remarkable performance during those five games earned him a new job in the NFL backing up Teddy Bridgewater for Carolina.

In a piece for The Player’s Tribune, Walker wrote about how every player in the league was on a mission.

“Beyond that, though, the best thing about the new XFL was that it gave the guys who are on the fringes of pro football the opportunity to go out there and play and show what they can do. There are so many great, talented players on NFL rosters that the league just isn’t big enough for everybody to play. And that’s a shame. The XFL was important to so many guys. It’s hard to single out names because I don’t want to leave anybody out — because there are just a lot. If the season had gone on, most of them would definitely be getting their chances to play in the NFL. I believe that. I mean, some of them already are.”

The Panthers have been at the forefront of signing players from the now-defunct league. Walker was the first to join an NFL team this year. The team also picked the first former XFL-er in the draft by taking Kenny Robinson in the fifth round.

The whole article is definitely worth a read.

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Panthers sign former Cowboys OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty

Panthers sign former Cowboys OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty

The Panthers passed on adding any offensive linemen in the 2020 NFL draft. They have signed several since, though. The latest addition to the roster is Juwann Bushell-Beatty, according to the team website.

Bushell-Beatty (6-foot-5, 333 pounds) played his college ball at Michigan, where he started at right tackle for two seasons.

After going undrafted last year, he was picked up by the Cowboys but they released him before the season began. Bushell-Beatty wound up playing in the XFL and was a teammate of quarterback P.J. Walker’s on the Houston Roughnecks.

The Panthers already have several right tackles already on the roster. However, with the exception of Taylor Moton none of them are proven at this level. Bushell-Beatty might have a legitimate chance to make the team.

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Panthers pick Alabama CB in way-too-early 2021 NFL mock draft

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next NFL draft.

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next NFL draft. Unless the Carolina Panthers 2020 draft class winds up being historically amazing right off the bat, odds are the team will be in line for another top 10 pick next year. Who might they pick in that scenario?

In a new way-too-early 2021 mock, Luke Easterling at Draft Wire has Carolina selecting Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr. at No. 6 overall.

Obviously, there’s a lot of time between now and then and we frankly don’t even know if there will be a college football season this year. However, Surtain (6-foot-2, 203 pounds) is supposed to be one of the top cornerback prospects in the 2021 class. So far, he has posted three interceptions, 15 pass breakups and four forced fumbles in 27 games for the Crimson Tide.

Whether or not the Panthers are looking for a cornerback that early will depend on how well 2018 second-round pick Donte Jackson does this year. Troy Pride Jr. projects as the new starter on the other side of the field and he deserves time to develop, but a decision will need to come on Jackson’s future much sooner. Remember, he was benched late last season after making repeated mistakes in coverage and questioning his coaches.

If Jackson doesn’t have a significant rebound year, Carolina’s secondary is likely to suffer a great deal and it could lead the front office to consider looking for a replacement. There’s no denying Jackson’s ball skills and athleticism, but there’s more to playing corner than that.

The Panthers haven’t had two reliable starters at cornerback since the 2015 season and they likely won’t compete for a championship again until that changes.

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