Tag: Tahir Whitehead

9 Panthers players who need a strong performance at training camp

Panthers 2020 training camp: Nine players who are under the most pressure to perform well.

The Panthers began walk-throughs for the first time in 2020 this week. Unpadded practices usually don’t mean much, but this year everything is different and every rep is far more meaningful.

Here are nine players who need a strong performance at training camp this year, whether they’re taking on a leadership position, finding their groove or fighting for a roster spot.

Teddy Bridgewater

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

What’s at stake: In the absence of former MVP quarterback Cam Newton and so many other veterans, the team itself is up for grabs. While Christian McCaffrey may be their best player, that doesn’t necessarily make it his. Bridgewater told reporters earlier this week he feels this is his team, despite not having a traditional offseason. Now he has to go out and earn it. Bridgewater needs to show a command of offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s scheme and the ability to lead a team for more than a handful of games. So far, so good.

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Panthers linebackers ranked No. 26 by Pro Football Focus

As recently as 2018, the Panthers had the best linebacker room in football, hands down.

As recently as 2018, the Panthers arguably had the best linebacker room in the NFL. That might as well be ancient history, though. Going into the 2020 season, Shaq Thompson has graduated from behind the third-best on the roster to the No. 1 option.

As you might expect, this unit’s esteem has taken a serious hit thanks to Luke Kuechly’s early retirement. According to Pro Football Focus, Carolina’s linebacker corps only ranks No. 26 in the league going into 2020.

“Thompson is a solid coverage player who takes on plenty of responsibility within Carolina’s scheme; he plays under control — and has missed only 42 tackles in his five-year career — and he wins with quickness in the run game where he’s graded at 70.0-plus in all but one year of his career. Tahir Whitehead takes the first crack at replacing Kuechly after two years in Oakland in which he graded in the 50s. Whitehead hasn’t posted a coverage grade above 60.0 since 2015, though he has graded well in the run game in two of the last three years.”

It’s going to take time to rebuild this defense no matter what, but it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to use the No. 8 overall pick on Isaiah Simmons. Not only would he have radically improved the linebacker group, his ability to play multiple positions would have given defensive coordinator Phil Snow more options. Until Derrick Brown develops into a superstar or Simmons turns into a bust, we’re going to die on this hill.

The good news is there is some depth behind Thompson and Whitehead. Jordan Kunaszyk looked promising during the preseason last year and there are a few undrafted free agents that also have potential.

The wild-cards here are Jermaine Carter Jr. and Andre Smith, who have served as the top backups the last couple of seasons. It’s tough to say how much playing time Matt Rhule will give them if things go bad.

Another unkown is how many snaps Jeremy Chinn will put in at linebacker. He projects as a safety, but he should be lined up all over the place to take advantage of his skill-set.

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Panthers LB Tahir Whitehead talks about taking Luke Kuechly’s place

Aside from Teddy Bridgewater, nobody on the Panthers roster has bigger shoes to fill this year than Tahir Whitehead.

Aside from Teddy Bridgewater, nobody on the Panthers roster has bigger shoes to fill this year than Tahir Whitehead.

According to defensive coordinator Phil Snow, Whitehead will start the season as the team’s middle linebacker. Luke Kuechly held the job for the last eight years, and it’s a tough act to follow as he played the position better than anybody else in the league during that time.

Whitehead understands that he’s not Kuechly and he does things differently. Here’s what he said about taking over No. 59’s spot, per the team website.

“For me, it’s just a matter of I’m my biggest critic. At the end of the day, Luke is Luke and I’m me. He plays the game differently than I do and vice versa. So I just have to go out there and make sure that I can execute my ability and my job within the scheme.”

The good news is he’ll be able to lean on some of what Kuechly has learned. Now retired, Kuechly has taken a position as a pro scout for the Panthers. Whitehead says he would be a fool not to take advantage of that.

“I’d be a fool not to take advantage of him still being in the building. He’s extremely smart. Heard nothing but great things about him over the years and I’ve always admired the way he played from afar.”

Whitehead does some things well – he’s a solid run defender and pass rusher. The biggest difference between the two is coverage. Kuechly was a brilliant defender in this part of the game, but Whitehead has struggled. Over the last two seasons, he’s allowed more touchdowns in coverage than any linebacker.

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What’s the worst-case scenario for the Panthers in 2020?

If the team suffers serious injuries or gets unlucky, they can certainly lose more than six games.

The Panthers aren’t going to be a playoff contender this year, assuming there is a season. Our prediction is that the team will go 6-10, which will probably put them in last place in the NFC South again but also keep them out of the running for the top quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL draft.

Things can get worse, though. If the team suffers serious injuries or gets unlucky, they can certainly lose more than six games.

According to Pro Football Focus, their worst-case scenario for Carolina has them going 4-12 this season, thanks mostly to glaring issues in coverage at the cornerback and linebacker positions. Here’s what they had to say about this possibility.

“The defense just can’t stop anyone. Donte Jackson (55.6 overall grade in 2019) and Eli Apple (63.8 overall grade in 2019), with little in the way of depth behind them, get picked apart by some of the league’s best wide receivers in the NFC South. There is a glaring Luke Kuechly-sized hole in the middle of the field, as well ─ something that can’t be filled by Tahir Whitehead and his 14 receiving touchdowns allowed since 2018 (six more than any other linebacker).”

On the other hand, their best-case scenario has the Panthers going 9-7, powered by a breakout year from D.J. Moore and solid contributions from the other wide receivers with Teddy Bridgewater and Joe Brady running the show.

If that’s going to happen, they’ll need their new-look offensive line to exceed expectations and Phil Snow will have to show some true schematic genius.

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Tahir Whitehead will start at middle linebacker for the Panthers

Tahir Whitehead will start at middle linebacker for the Panthers, per defensive coordinator Phil Snow.

Luke Kuechly’s sudden retirement left an enormous hole in the heart of the Carolina Panthers defense. Now at last we have an answer to the question of who will be taking his place as the team’s starting middle linebacker. Speaking with reporters during a Zoom call on Wednesday afternoon, defensive coordinator Phil Snow said Tahir Whitehead will start at that spot.

Shaq Thompson (who recently signed a four-year contract extension) is the heir apparent to take over in the long run, but for now the team will lean on Whitehead’s experience. He has been in the NFL three years longer than Thompson and has played in 55 more regular season games. Whitehead has also previously worked with coach Matt Rhule during his college career at Temple.

While he has the edge in experience, one potential downfall for Whitehead is his pass coverage. Last season with the Raiders, he allowed a gruesome 140.4 passer rating when targeted, up from 119.2 the year before. During those two years, he allowed a total of 10 touchdowns and 795 yards after the catch.

Thompson can’t compare to Kuechly in this area, but he is better than Whitehead at least. If the older linebacker struggles in coverage too much we may see Thompson take his place before the 2020 season ends.

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Panthers vs. Raiders: Las Vegas slight favorite for Week 1 matchup

Even though Carolina has home-field advantage, the visiting team is considered a slight favorite.

The complete regular season schedule was released by the NFL last night. Assuming we will have a 2020 season, the Carolina Panthers will start out the year at home against the now-Las Vegas Raiders.

Even though Carolina has home-field advantage, the visiting team is considered a slight favorite.

According to the Week 1 odds for BetMGM, the Panthers have opened as 1.5-point underdogs against the Raiders for this game. Here’s a look at all of their odds for the first week of the season.

https://twitter.com/BetMGM/status/1258557233371242497/photo/1

Last year, the Raiders went 7-9, while the Panthers finished 5-11, good for last place in the NFC South. Vegas only went 2-6 on the road, though. This is a very winnable game that would get the team off on the right foot.

It may be a cliche but in this case it’s true: this game will be won or lost in the trenches. Carolina’s new-look defensive line going up against a tough Raiders offensive line should be considered the key matchup.

You can find more lines and place a bet here.

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Tahir Whitehead says Panthers haven’t told him where he will play yet

According to David Newton at ESPN, the team hasn’t told him where he will play yet.

When Luke Kuechly announced his retirement in a video in the middle of January, it punched a hole in the heart of the Panthers’ defense. Linebackers of Kuechly’s caliber usually only come along once every generation. Considering he was also an invaluable leader on the field and in the locker room, it makes replacing him especially difficult.

The team recently signed former Lions and Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead, who should at least be able to help fill that void a little bit. However, there’s no guarantee that he will take over Kuechly’s old role as middle linebacker. According to David Newton at ESPN, the team hasn’t told him where he will play yet.

Whitehead does has experience playing the MLB spot. However, the Panthers also have a younger candidate to take over that position.

The question for head coach Matt Rhule is one of youth vs. experience. He might feel Whitehead would do a better job running his defense in 2020. After all, Whitehead has started 87 games in his career compared to 61 for Shaq Thompson.

On the other hand, Thompson (who recently signed a four-year extension) will eventually inherit that role. Delaying the move another season might hinder Thompson’s development as the leader/captain/playcaller of the defense.

The team seems to be walking a fine line between “rebuilding” and “retooling” this year. This decision will be another clue as to which way the front office is leaning.

His position has yet to be determined, but it sounds like he won’t be taking Kuechly’s No. 59, which he has worn his entire career so far. Whitehead told reporters he’s not too attached to the number and understands the situation.

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Former Raiders LB Tahir Whitehead lands with Colts on one-year deal

Former Raiders LB Tahir Whitehead lands with Colts on one-year deal

Coming into free agency, the Raiders made a clean slate at the linebacker position. They let go of Tahir Whitehead, which freed up $6.25 million in money under the cap and left the team with a need for three new starting linebackers.

Then as soon as free agency opened, they signed two linebackers, picking up the big prize in Cory Littleton along with up-and-coming talent, Nick Kwiatkoski.

Whitehead wasn’t in high demand at the position. but it took just a week for him to catch on somewhere. He has been signed by the Colts on a one-year deal.

It was a couple years ago that Whitehead was a priority free-agent addition by the Raiders, one of the first for Jon Gruden in his return to coaching. But two years into his three-year deal, he wasn’t working out. He was a liability in coverage and wasn’t all that great in any area of his game.

Despite his shortcomings, he carries some value. He started all 32 games in his time with the Raiders and put up 234 combined tackles. He had value to the Raiders when they signed him so perhaps a new scheme will get the most out of him.

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Report: Panthers signing former Raiders LB Tahir Whitehead

According to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, the Panthers are signing former Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead to a one-year deal.

According to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, the Panthers are signing former Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead to a one-year deal.

Whitehead was originally a fifth-round pick by the Lions in the 2012 NFL draft. He put in six years with Detroit, followed by two with the Raiders. All together, he’s played in 125 career regular season games, totaling 463 solo tackles (38 for a loss), five interceptions, 24 pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three sacks and 12 quarterback hits.

Shaq Thompson might seem like the heir apparent. However, Whitehead might be the best candidate to be Carolina’s defensive play-caller in 2020, inheriting the role from Luke Kuechly, who is now retired. His previous experience working with Matt Rhule at Temple would certainly help.

Obviously, replacing a future Hall of Fame talent like Kuechly is impossible. However, this is a pretty solid stop-gap measure to help with the transition.

Signing Whitehead (29 years old) doesn’t necessarily mean the Panthers will pass on a linebacker in the draft. Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons is by far the best fit for them in this class.

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Ex-Lions LB Tahir Whitehead released by Raiders

Ex-Lions LB Tahir Whitehead released by the Las Vegas Raiders, and don’t expect a return to Detroit

Former Lions starting linebacker Tahir Whitehead is back on the open free agent market after he was released on Monday by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Whitehead started all 16 games in each of his two seasons in Oakland after leaving the Lions. He racked up 234 tackles, including 15 behind the line of scrimmage. Whitehead had one year left on his three-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2018.

Don’t expect a return to Detroit for the 30-year-old (in April) despite his solid play with the Raiders and his six seasons prior to that with the Lions. His limited range and struggles in coverage would not represent any upgrade over the current Lions inside backers, notably Jahlani Tavai. Detroit’s second-round rookie in 2019 graded out higher in overall defense and coverage than Whitehead in Pro Football Focus metrics.