Carolina Panthers have 3 big questions they must address in free agency other than QB
When the new league year officially begins March 17, many of the flashiest offseason moves and trades will already have been agreed upon or in the works. A month of rumors and speculation awaits.
Last year was one of the most significant offseasons in Carolina Panthers history. Luke Kuechly retired. Greg Olsen and Cam Newton were released. Almost the entire defensive line also departed. Could another big year be in store?
With Carolina looking for a quarterback, the splashes made over the next couple of months could be significant. Being interested in Deshaun Watson will keep intrigue high.
But there are other significant decisions to be made, both involving players under contract and those set to become free agents. New general manager Scott Fitterer and coach Matt Rhule will be working together for the first time with a team owner that is not pleased with the production at the quarterback position. It’s not all about the quarterback, however, and that is expected to be an area addressed either by trade or through the draft.
Free agency this year will be slightly different. Instead of the salary cap going up, it is expected to go down from $198.2 million to somewhere around $180 million, per multiple reports. Teams won’t be able to spend quite as much and the Panthers are not expected to be as active as last season.
Let’s break down some of the big free-agent questions the Panthers have to answer as they continue to build.
Re-signing Taylor Moton and the decision’s impact on the rest of the o-line?
Signing right tackle Taylor Moton to a long-term deal or the franchise tag, if necessary, is at the top of the Panthers’ needs when it comes to free agency. Would the team like to have him back? Yes, and getting that taken care of is a priority. If something isn’t able to be completed, Carolina would have to play someone else at right tackle for the first time since 2018.
Investing in Moton — the franchise tag would be about $13.6 million, per Spotrac — could reduce the amount they are able to spend on other offensive linemen with three other starters from last season also free agents.
The decisions the Panthers make in free agency this offseason will impact how quickly the team can find long-term answers on the line and limit the turnover. Trent Scott, who filled in well at left tackle, is a restricted free agent and could be brought back at a reasonable price. Veteran left tackle Russell Okung dealt with a variety of injuries last year and would be tough to re-sign for a couple of reasons, including his recent health issues. Guard John Miller is among the more likely candidates to be re-signed, but he’s not a long-term answer at the position.
Getting the Moton situation settled is Step 1, but determining who is worth bringing back among the six other total offensive line free agents and at what price is also important. That will establish the remaining needs for the draft, where offensive line is expected to be addressed in some capacity.
Protecting the quarterback is a top priority for the Panthers. Last year was about bringing in veteran gap players on the offensive line, but that won’t be a long-term solution.
“It definitely starts with the quarterback, but I believe in building a team on both sides of the line, offensive line, defensive line,” Fitterer said of his team-building philosophy. “You have to be able to protect the quarterback, you have to be able to get after the quarterback. In this situation, those are all things that we’re gonna look at, but at my core quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, is where it’s going to start.”
What about that third wide receiver?
The Panthers have their top two wide receivers secured for 2021 in DJ Moore and Robby Anderson. Of course, Christian McCaffrey will be an important pass-catcher, as well.
But then there is a big question mark. Curtis Samuel is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason, and is expected to test the market with his future in Carolina in doubt. Keeping both Moton and Samuel always seemed like it would be difficult to do, and Samuel will want to see if he can get more money elsewhere, especially after the career-high 1,051 scrimmage yards he had in 2020. It will be interesting to see what the league-wide response to him on the free-agent market is.
Pharoh Cooper and Keith Kirkwood are free agents, which leaves Marken Michel, Ishmael Hyman, Amara Darboh, Omar Bayless and Ventell Bryant as the remaining wideouts under contract for 2021. With the way things stand, Carolina will need to address that spot in some way.
This is a promising free-agent wide receiver class. The Panthers could find someone for a cheaper price, if Samuel moves on, or address the position later in the draft.
Wide receiver isn’t one of the biggest positions of need, and Bayless was a hot training camp name before being placed on injured reserve for the season, but whether they are able to bring Samuel back into the fold will have repercussions.
.JPG "PanthersWashingtonFootball (6).JPG")
One other offensive position that will be worth keeping an eye on in free agency is running back. Backup Mike Davis is an unrestricted free agent, but could return for the right price. Either way, a strong backup for McCaffrey is needed.
How should the holes on defense be addressed?
The Panthers defense is in a far more promising position than last season. The holes that need to be filled are smaller, but they still exist. With Rhule indicating that it is time to address the offense in the draft, what does that mean for the needs on defense?
Cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Corn Elder, who played nickel for a majority of the season, are free agents. If the team moves on from both, is it a position that needs to be addressed in free agency as well as the draft? Donte Jackson is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal. Either way, it is an area that the team will need to invest in sooner rather than later.
Linebacker is the other big defensive position with question marks. Tahir Whitehead was brought in on a one-year deal to be the veteran middle linebacker to replace Kuechly, but that proved to be too tall of a task and a bad decision. Looking for a veteran linebacker in free agency, for depth at minimum, should be in consideration as it is a position the Panthers need to get right. It doesn’t have to be finding the next Kuechly to increase the production from last season.
Rebuilding the defense was always a long-term project. Overall, Carolina made some positive moves in Year 1 under Rhule, but the steps this offseason are equally important.
This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 6:26 PM.
