What the Hiring of Matt Rhule Means for Will Grier's Future

The Panthers have found a head coach, now what about quarterback?

Earlier this morning, the Carolina Panthers hired Baylor's Matt Rhule as their next head coach, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. This is just the first of many off-season decisions that await the Panthers leading up to the NFL Draft this spring. 

One of the biggest question marks surrounding the organization is who will lead the charge at quarterback. Early indications were that Cam Newton's days in Charlotte are numbered, but we will have to see how things transpire over the next few months. 

Former West Virginia quarterback Will Grier struggled mightily in his rookie campaign. He started two games and totaled 228 yards passing to go along with four interceptions and a goose egg in the touchdown department. To be fair, Grier was not ready for the situation he was thrown into. Made his first career start for a team that had been eliminated from the playoff weeks prior and only had two games remaining with a sub-par offensive line.

So, what does the future hold for Grier under the newly hired Rhule?

Well, considering he has yet to hold a press conference or get to evaluate that team it's hard to judge what his thought process will be. That being said, with Grier coming from the Big 12 and having played against Rhule twice, could help. Grier threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns in West Virginia's 58-14 drubbing of the Bears a year ago. 

This afternoon on ESPN's First Take, Marcus Spears had this to say about the Panthers hire, "I think this hire says we're not ready to move on from Cam more than anything." To be honest with you, I can't say I disagree. The Panthers have some pieces and parts to succeed and if they get Newton healthy, they could be back to being contender once again, that is if he is playing at his normal level. Having guys like Christian McCaffrey, Cam Newton, Luke Kuechley, Tre Boston, D.J. Moore doesn't seem to be a core of players that would be in a rebuilding situation. 

Matt Rhule is a builder and possibly one of the best out there in the business. He took two programs from the proverbial dead and made them relevant again. He began his stint at Temple in 2013 and by year two had them in a bowl game and followed that up by posting back to back ten win seasons before bolting to Waco. Rhule was the perfect man for the job when he took over the Baylor program in 2017. With all of the dark, unforgettable things that happened in and around that program, he was the best fit to come in and create a different and much better culture. 

It's hard for me to fathom that a guy that likes to build up, would want to go through a complete and utter rebuild when he already has a partial formula to success. Rhule runs a spread offensive attack, which may suit Cam Newton best. An offense that is geared to getting your playmakers the ball in space is a good idea when you have a guy like McCaffrey and a seasoned vet like Newton. Grier can actually sit and develop behind Newton until it's time for the torch to be passed along. Rhule knows how to develop talent and giving Grier some time under his tutelage may be what he needs most for longevity in the NFL.