Tag: Myles Garrett. STN

Panthers’ light start to 2021 schedule just got easier

Panthers’ light start to 2021 schedule just got easier with news of Michael Thomas injury.

The Carolina Panthers may have a real chance to begin their 2021 season with a 3-0 record. Carolina has a relatively light schedule to start the year and today it got a little bit easier.

Specifically, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is going to miss the first month of the season as he recovers from ankle surgery.

That’s relevant news because the Panthers host the Saints Week 2. While Thomas might be overrated, obviously it’s preferable to face New Orleans without him in the lineup.

Unless some unknown star emerges early for the Saints, this will leave their stud running back Alvin Kamara carrying a heavy load once again. Kamara is one of the league’s most ridiculous running backs, but Thomas being out will enable opposing defenses to focus in much more on stopping Kamara. Combined with a step down at quarterback from Drew Brees to Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill, Carolina will be facing a far less formidable offense than the one we saw at the end of the 2020 campaign.

Before New Orleans, the Panthers start their season at home against the Jets, a matchup they are rightfully favored in. New York has a brilliant defensive coach in Robert Saleh. However, he’s got one of football’s most flawed rosters and this will be his starting quarterback’s first NFL game.

After the Saints, Carolina visits Houston, home of what will be the worst team in the league if Deshaun Watson is unavailable.

Add it all up and a 3-0 start is definitely within reach.

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Panthers announce jersey numbers for new additions

Panthers announce jersey numbers for new additions.

The Carolina Panthers have been as busy as any team in the NFL over the last few weeks. First, they signed about a dozen new players to bargain free agent deals, then they traded three draft picks to the New York Jets for quarterback Sam Darnold.

Today, the team announced the jersey numbers for most of the new faces. Here’s what they’ll be wearing in Carolina.

K Matt Amendola: No. 9

QB Sam Darnold: No. 14

CB Rashaan Melvin: No. 29

CB Jalen Julius: No. 35

S J.T. Ibe: No. 37

RB Darius Clark: No. 41

OLB Haason Reddick: No. 43

OLB Frankie Luvu: No. 49

LB Denzel Perryman: No. 52

OL Pat Elflein: No. 60

OT Martez Ivey: No. 73

OL Cameron Erving: No. 75

WR Micah Simon: No. 81

WR David Moore: No. 83

TE Dan Arnold: No. 85

DL Morgan Fox: No. 91

No numbers have been assigned for tight end/defensive end Stephen Sullivan or for veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye at this time.

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Panthers GM Scott Fitterer: Sam Darnold ‘can take that next step with us’

In the end, they chose door No. 3, sending three draft picks to the Jets for Sam Darnold.

You can’t always get what you want. The Panthers got a harsh reminder of that this offseason as they searched for an upgrade at quarterback over Teddy Bridgewater.

First, they tried to trade for Matt Stafford, only to see the Rams swoop in with a better deal. Then, they became obsessed with Deshaun Watson, who got himself into some very serious off-field trouble. Then, the 49ers made a deal with their best potential trade partner in the top five, leapfrogging over the Panthers and a few other QB-needy teams and taking another top prospect off the board a month before the draft even begins.

Carolina was left with a few imperfect options: hold their nose and continue starting Teddy Bridgewater, settle for a second-tier QB prospect like Mac Jones or take a chance on a veteran with upside who’s been caught in a bad situation.

In the end, they chose door No. 3, sending three draft picks to the Jets for Sam Darnold.

The hope is that Darnold’s career will take off now that he’s out from under of the pernicious influence of Adam Gase and the awesome handicap that is playing for a franchise as dysfunctional as the Jets.

General manager Scott Fitterer believes he’ll take that next step, per the team website.

“Sam is a guy I really liked. . . Liked the competitor, liked the toughness, the ability to move in the pocket, he can make big plays downfield with his arm. All those things really stood out about him.I think in this offense with Joe Brady, with Matt Rhule, with the weapons we have around him, that he can take that next step with us.”

Darnold definitely has potential, as he has flashed occasional awe-inspiring talent on his throws. The question is if he can deliver consistently now that he finally has the coaching and the weapons around him.

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Matt Nagy says Bears were interested in Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater this offseason

Matt Nagy says Bears were interested in Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater this offseason.

No NFL team has gotten worse returns at quarterback than the Chicago Bears. That Jay Cutler is the best QB in franchise history says everything you need to know about their decades of bad decisions at the most important position in the sport.

The Bears got it wrong again this offseason, as they have so many times before. Chicago rightfully went looking for an upgrade over Mitch Trubisky, who had been the worst starter in the league since he was drafted. There were several good options available, including the guy who they’ll be facing tomorrow.

Bears coach Matt Nagy confirmed this week that his team was interested in Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

In the end, the Bears stayed true to their brand and traded for an inferior QB, sending a fourth-round pick to the Jaguars for Nick Foles. While he’s certainly better than Trubisky, he’s not nearly as consistent as Bridgewater.

It gets worse, because Chicago had an even better choice than Teddy. Cam Newton was a free agent for several months before Bill Belichick and the Patriots signed him for peanuts. There was never any indication that the Bears even kicked the tires on the former league MVP.

Chicago and 30 other teams made the same mistake by letting Newton join New England. With Cam starting, they might have been a serious contender this season, even with a juggernaut Packers team in their own division.

Bridgewater may not have taken the Bears as far as Newton could have, but it’s impossible to argue in good faith that Foles is a more capable starter, to say nothing of Trubisky.

More bulletin board material for a team that seems to be thriving on defying the common perception that they would suck this season. Chicago’s loss is Carolina’s gain.

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