Addition by Subtraction, the Panthers Look to Turn the Tide in 2020

Carolina hitting the reset button is the best thing for the franchise's future

Prior to the start of the 2019 season, if you would have told someone that at the conclusion of the year, the Carolina Panthers would fire head coach Ron Rivera, finish with a 5-11 record, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, and Eric Reid would be released, Luke Kuechly would retire, James Bradberry would sign with the Giants, and GM Marty Hurney would hire a college coach as the next head coach of the organization, you likely would have told them that they have lost their mind.

Attrition happens to every team in every offseason. But the amount of attrition that the Panthers endured this offseason is on a whole other level. 

The fact of the matter is, the old "core group" became stale. You can blame it on countless injuries if you so choose, but regardless, the team was getting older and not getting any better. It was time for an infusion of young talent and the Panthers front office knew that the roster’s window to win had passed and it was time to wipe the slate clean and start over. 

So, let's take a further examination of the Panthers changes on their roster.

Matt Rhule becomes the new head cat.

Hiring a coach from the collegiate ranks always seems to be a bit of a risky move. When you look at the history of Matt Rhule and what he did at Temple and Baylor turning both of those programs around, it's hard to argue that he's not the right man for the job.

Rhule is all about a winning brand and a winning culture. He's a guy that players will have respect for and will love playing for. His resume is quite impressive and looks to be the perfect fit for this organization, who has seen so much change in the last two to three years.

Yes, I understand that the collegiate level is nowhere near the same as the professional game, but Rhule's track record is hard to scoff at. He took a Temple program who, for all intents and purposes, is not known for its rich football tradition and history, and guided them to a bowl game in his second year on the helm. Rhule followed that up with back-to-back ten win seasons. Accomplishing that feat alone is rather impressive, but to do it as fast as he did is what really jumps off the page.

If at the end of the day you are concerned about whether or not Rhule can get the job done, take comfort in knowing that he is a culture builder and he's been a winner everywhere he has been. A fresh start is exactly what the Panthers needed and in order to have success in the long-term, you must have patience in the short-term.

Cam Newton OUT, Teddy Bridgewater IN.

Cam Newton was the face of the franchise and very well may be the best player to ever strap up for the Panthers, but they made the right decision by letting him go. The timing of his release was not ideal, but looking at the move in its entirety, it was the right move. He's not getting any younger and suffering back-to-back, season-ending injuries is a sign that he could be on the downhill of his career.

Teddy Bridgewater has had some injuries in his career as well, but has stayed relatively healthy since his horrific ACL injury while in Minnesota. He has since proven himself as a capable starting quarterback as he led the New Orleans Saints to a 5-0 record during Drew Brees' absence. He is not a "bridge" quarterback. The Panthers believe he is the guy for the next four, five, six years or so. With familiarity in Joe Brady's system, this could be the perfect fit for him. He's now with an organization that is willing to give him another shot as the signal caller and an organization that believes in him.

Yes, Cam Newton is certainly more gifted, but there is less risk with Bridgewater.

Greg Olsen OUT, Ian Thomas gets his chance.

I don't think anyone would disagree with you if you said that Greg Olsen was a top three tight end in the NFL over the last ten years or so. He flourished in Rivera's system and with Cam Newton. Like Newton, Olsen has battled his fair share of injuries and it has effected the way he plays the game. He's not the same tight end he once was and for a team that is rebuilding, it was not worth bringing him back.

With Olsen's departure, many thought the Panthers would make a bigger splash in free agency than Seth DeValve, who is mainly a blocking tight end. Since they didn't really add much competition to the mix, it seems like the front office really believes in Ian Thomas to be the guy or at least believes in him enough to give him an opportunity.

To this day, I'm still not exactly sold on Thomas, but a healthy quarterback for the first time in his career would certainly be beneficial to him.

New home run threat. 

Carolina already has arguably the best running back in the NFL (Christian McCaffrey) and two solid, young receivers (D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel) comprising it’s offensive weaponry. But the Panthers thought that the offense needed just a little more of a boost and they received that through the signing of Robby Anderson.

Anderson compliments D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel well and although he won't necessarily be the No. 1 receiver, he will be a big downfield asset for Teddy Bridgewater.

One for one, plus one.

It's rare that you see two NFL teams swap veteran offensive lineman in a trade with no other players or assets involved, but that's exactly what the Panthers did by trading five-time Pro Bowler Trai Turner to the Los Angeles Chargers for polished left tackle, Russell Okung.

It seems as if the fan base is 50/50 on this trade, but in my opinion, it was a great move. Quarterbacks have taken a pounding over the last couple years in Carolina due to shoddy protection from the offensive tackles. Not having a reliable guy to protect the quarterback’s blindside can be very dangerous. Now, the Panthers have someone they can trust and can also help Greg Little develop. 

The immediate concern was, who is going to fill in at guard for Turner? Carolina resolved that issue with the free agent signing of Michael Schofield, who was teammates with Russell Okung and center Matt Paradis with the Broncos in 2016.

So does swapping Turner for Okung worth it in the end? Absolutely.

D-Line overhaul. 

One of the biggest areas of change on the Panthers roster is along the defensive line. Bruce Irvin, Mario Addison, Dontari Poe, Gerald McCoy, and Vernon Butler Jr. are all no longer with the team. Hurney took Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown with their first round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft and followed that up by selecting Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos in the second round and Baylor's Bravvion Roy in the sixth.

The Panthers got a head start on rebuilding the defensive line through free agency with the acquisitions of Stephen Weatherly, Zach Kerr, and Chris Smith. The rejuvenation of the line was much needed after the team finished 29th in rushing yards allowed per game (143.5) and 31st in points allowed (29.4).

Irvin, McCoy, Addison, and Poe are all aging and all but Poe are in the back-half of their career. Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos are the two pieces that the Panthers want to build around, but it is going to take some time.

59 hangs it up, LB corps still remains solid.

The sports world was in utter shock when Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly made the decision to retire at the age of 28. He has suffered multiple concussions throughout his career and wanted to protect himself from further damage by walking away from the game at the right time.

Losing Kuechly could be the Panthers biggest loss, but thankfully Shaq Thompson and Brian Burns have shown promise to step up and be playmakers. Aside from those two, Carolina added former Oakland Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead in free agency. He brings a veteran presence and will certainly be one of the team's most reliable players on that side of the ball.

Despite Kuechly retiring, the Panthers starting linebacking corps is still considered a strength. Depth at the position is something that needs to be focused on as we approach the preseason.

Secondary finds new hope.

The Panthers actually fared well defending the pass, allowing only 231 yards per game. Unfortunately, two key members of that secondary are no longer with the team. James Bradberry demanded too much money and the Panthers were not willing to pay him his asking price, which resulted in him signing with the Giants. Safety Eric Reid was let go after having a breakout season, to some extent. He racked up the tackles, but had struggles in coverage.

In the draft, Carolina selected four defensive backs, Jeremy Chinn (Southern Illinois), Troy Pride Jr. (Notre Dame), Kenny Robinson (West Virginia), and Stanley Thomas-Oliver III (Florida International). The main focus for the Panthers in the draft wasn't just to draft defensive players, but to revamp a thin secondary. 

Safety Tre Boston agreed to terms on a three-year deal to remain in Carolina, which will certainly help the growth of these young prospects. The Panthers also signed veteran safety Juston Burris, who will likely be the team's starter at the beginning of the season, until defensive coordinator Phil Snow feels comfortable with handing the job over to Jeremy Chinn.

Lastly, Carolina agreed to terms with cornerback Eli Apple on a one-year deal, making the secondary a little more stable. Yes, Apple has struggled to this point in his career and has some disciplinary issues, but he could grow as a player and person under the watchful eye of Matt Rhule.

CMC becomes the new face of the franchise.

Following the release of Cam Newton, the Panthers wanted to ensure themselves of having their next most valuable asset locked up for the foreseeable future. Running back Christian McCaffrey agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal, making him the highest paid running back in the history of the NFL.

There has been much debate on whether or not a running back can really be the face of the franchise when the position rarely carries a team to the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs. But as Matt Rhule pointed out last month, McCaffrey is more than just a running back, he's a dynamic offensive player. 

By signing McCaffrey to the extension now, it creates stability in the backfield and in the passing game, but more importantly, gives hope for the future. There aren't very many running backs out there that can replicate what McCaffrey can do and the fact that he is only 23 years old means he likely hasn't even hit the "prime" of his career - which is a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.

So, did the Panthers actually improve by getting younger?

Yes. The results may not show right away in 2020, but over the next handful of years it will be very clear that starting the rebuild this offseason was ultimately the right decision. Carolina was a team that was essentially stuck in the mud. They had a solid roster, but one that battled injuries to star players on a consistent basis and were stuck in a hamster wheel trying to make the playoffs.

The biggest thing during this rebuild is to remain patient. Again, this turnaround won't happen in one season, but it should take substantially less time with Rhule now in charge. He has the blueprint of how to rebuild a program and is now looking to apply it to the Panthers. 

Do you think the Panthers made the right decision by rebuilding? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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