Should the Panthers Renew Marty Hurney's Contract?
Last week, we put out a poll on Twitter asking fans if Carolina Panthers GM Marty Hurney should have his contract renewed once it expires. The results were a resounding no as 82% voted that the Panthers should look in a new direction.
Carolina has had a fair amount of success under Hurney, but have also had their fair share of lows as well. Despite not winning a Super Bowl thus far in his tenure, he has drafted the most All-Pros since 2000. When you hear that stat, you would probably think the Panthers have won the division several times and have maybe a Super Bowl ring or two to its name - that's not the case.
Heading into this offseason, the Panthers were tied up in so much dead cap money that it restricted them from being able to spend more on players in free agency. Hurney has kind of built a reputation of keeping players around a tad too long beyond their prime and paying them big money or money they are no longer worth. Ex: Ryan Kalil.
Being a successful GM in the NFL is not easy, and in the last two seasons the Panthers have a record of 12-20. Why are the last two years so important? Well, that is when David Tepper took over as the team's new owner Since his arrival, the Panthers have parted ways with franchise quarterback Cam Newton, veteran tight end Greg Olsen, and long time head coach, Ron Rivera. In the midst of a complete rebuild, Hurney is the only one remaining of the "core group". With his contract set to expire, could Tepper decide to wipe the slate clean and search for a new general manager? It's possible.
Giving new head coach Matt Rhule a seven-year deal stuck out as a red flag to me. Yes, you want to give a new coach time to go through a rebuild, but seven years? To me, it sounds like Tepper is willing to give Rhule some authority when it comes to the decisions that will be made with player personnel. You're starting to see more head coaches have more power in the front office, so it wouldn't be surprising to see that be the case in Carolina.
Rhule and Hurney seem to have a pretty good relationship and seem to be on the same page, but it's still very early in their working career together. Things could easily change over time, but the question remains: Will Tepper allow Hurney to continue beyond his current contract?
Do you think Marty Hurney will see another contract as the Panthers GM? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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