Guide to 2021 Carolina Panthers offseason: Draft, free agency, staff changes and more
The NFL’s offseason is officially in full swing.
Well, at least for the Carolina Panthers and the 17 other teams sitting out of this year’s playoffs.
For the Panthers, that means going full steam ahead with the search for the team’s next general manager and preparing for the 2021 NFL draft and free agency.
Head coach Matt Rhule called this a “pivotal” offseason for the Panthers. He’s not wrong. In his second year leading the franchise, the steps Carolina takes next will play a large role in shaping the team’s future.
Here’s a guide to kick off the offseason:
Will the Panthers be coaching in the Senior Bowl?
The Panthers will be one of the teams coaching in this year’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., at the end of January. They will coach against the Miami Dolphins. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady may still be hired for a head-coaching job. He has interviewed for four — the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and New York Jets.
Latest on the general manager search
The Panthers have interviewed at least 13 candidates in the search to replace Marty Hurney as GM, including Nick Caserio, who was named the Houston Texans general manager this week.
The team is talking to experienced personnel executives, including internally, and are in discussions with many who have analytics backgrounds. Whoever is named the next general manager will work alongside Rhule and will have to be on a similar page with the coach and owner David Tepper on the organization’s direction.
A look at some of the candidates: Panthers general manager search: What you need to know about current list of candidates
2021 NFL draft
If you missed it, the Panthers have the eighth overall pick. More here: Carolina Panthers will pick 8th in the 2021 NFL draft. Here is the draft order.
Free agents
Multiple position groups are going to be shaken up this offseason, but perhaps no group more than the offensive line. Four starting offensive linemen are scheduled to become free agents, with center Matt Paradis being the lone player under contract.
Carolina will have big moves to make. Two exclusive rights free agents have already been re-signed in tight end Colin Thompson and kicker Joey Slye, but over 20 still remain: Full list of free agents.
2021 opponents set
Missed who the Panthers are playing next season? All of the home and road games are set with a potential 17th game likely to be scheduled in the months to come as well: Panthers 2021 opponents: Here are the NFL teams Carolina will play next season
Coaching staff changes
The Panthers have lost quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz and offensive assistant DJ Mangas to jobs at LSU. Assistant offensive line coach Marcus Satterfield has accepted the offensive coordinator job at South Carolina.. It wouldn’t be surprising if more departures come over the next week or so, including the possibility of Brady taking a job elsewhere.
REQUIRED READING
+ Three things Matt Rhule wants you to know about the Panthers heading into the offseason
+ Sam Mills is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for a second time
+ With ‘frustrating’ 2020 over, Christian McCaffrey alters approach to offseason work
+ Ron Rivera, can you please win playoff game and wipe the smirk off Tom Brady’s face?
+ After a year of Teddy Bridgewater there’s just no debate: the Panthers must draft a QB
+ How did the Carolina Panthers’ final report card look? Here is how we graded them
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
