‘He’s ready to compete’: Panthers GM Scott Fitterer on Matt Corral’s offseason outlook
.JPG "Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral (9) passes under pressure from New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (91) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. Corral would later leave the game with a foot injury.")
In the NFL, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.
With each passing offseason, the annual roster churn claims its fair share of victims, especially when a new coaching staff takes over a struggling franchise.
But for Panthers second-year quarterback Matt Corral, there are two options: fight or flight. And according to Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer, Corral — last year’s third-round pick — is choosing Door No. 1.
“He’s come in, and he’s ready to compete,” Fitterer said Tuesday. “He’s 220 pounds, and he looks like a different guy. When he showed up, he was in great shape, great spirits.”
Corral spent his entire rookie regular season on the sideline. He sustained a Lisfranc injury during the preseason and was shelved on injured reserve as the Panthers went 7-10.
Corral watched as his first NFL head coach, Matt Rhule, was fired after five games. He then saw interim head coach Steve Wilks lead the Panthers on a 6-6 run to close out the campaign.
In January, the Panthers chose to hire Frank Reich as head coach over Wilks. Reich then hired a coaching staff filled with new faces and new ideas.
Corral, a holdover from the previous regime, was going to need to prove himself regardless of what happened with the rest of the quarterback room.
But then, in March, the Panthers completed a blockbuster trade to climb up from No. 9 to No. 1 in the NFL Draft to land the potential franchise quarterback of their choosing. And a few days later, the team signed veteran Andy Dalton to be a long-term shepherd for the incoming face of the franchise.
So, at least on the surface, Corral had seemingly been displaced on the depth chart before he could even throw a meaningful pass. But Fitterer — who was part of the front office that traded up for Corral nearly a year ago — doesn’t see it that way.
“I haven’t talked to him directly about anything that is going on right now — I did talk to his agent,” Fitterer said. “His agent relayed that he’s ready — he’s ready to compete and come in here. There’s nothing promised to anyone — you get what you earn.”
In order to “earn” something with the Panthers, Corral will have to make it through the offseason program, training camp and the preseason healthy — a task he was unable to complete last summer.
If Corral is ultimately given a fair shot to compete for a spot above the No. 3 listing on the depth chart, it appears he’s put in the work to improve his physique and help his chances. And, at least publicly, the Panthers seem willing to keep Corral’s prospects in Charlotte open-ended, even as they inch closer to spending the draft’s top pick on a potential franchise-altering quarterback.
This story was originally published April 18, 2023 at 2:34 PM.
