The Future Core of the Carolina Panthers
The Panthers endured a period of transition that permanently changed the franchise during the 2019-2020 offseason.
This transition had a lot to do with altering the leadership of this organization when Matt Rhule was signed to be Carolina's new head coach after Ron Rivera was fired in December 2019. Once Rhule took over, it seemed like he was completely running the show alongside general manager Marty Hurney.
With all that being said, the future of the franchise rests in the hands of Rhule and Hurney.
The players who form the core of the Carolina Panthers for years to come entirely depend on these two individuals. The Panthers have seemingly improved this season, but there are still lingering questions about the future core of this organization. Uncertainty is in the air, but there are definitely key pieces to this football team who should remain in Carolina for a long time. I will be going over three players on offense and three players on defense since the special teams units seem like they could potentially consist of a revolving door of punters and kickers.
Offense: Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, and Robby Anderson
Christian McCaffrey may have been sidelined due to injury for the majority of the 2020 NFL season, but he is still the highest paid running back in NFL history for a reason. Unless the injuries continue over the next few years, it seems unlikely that he will be going anywhere. D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson have both put up fantastic numbers this season and have been the highlights of many Panthers games, regardless of the outcome.
As of right now, D.J. Moore leads the team in receiving yards and touchdowns while Robby Anderson closely follows behind him. Curtis Samuel is also a huge contributing factor to this offense's success, but Moore and Anderson are more fitting to be labeled as "core players" for this team's future. Samuel's next contract is unknown right now, but it would be fantastic for the Panthers to maintain all three receivers for the foreseeable future, though. Taylor Moton has also performed well for the Panthers' offensive line and should also get re-signed this offseason, but that is still an unknown at the moment.
Defense: Brian Burns, Jeremy Chinn, and Derrick Brown
Brian Burns is the best player on the Panthers' defense. I fully anticipate seeing him receive a massive payday when the time comes. Burns is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL; players like him don't come around every day. If he continues to perform at the pace he is on, his name could be alongside the likes of Julius Peppers and Charles Johnson when it comes to elite Panthers defensive linemen.
Jeremy Chinn has proven to be the steal of the 2020 NFL Draft and is the current frontrunner for the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Chinn's two-touchdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings confirmed what the Panthers' front office had been saying: He is a special player. He should be in the black and blue for a very long time, assuming that he remains healthy and continues to play brilliantly.
Derrick Brown has silently had a very quality rookie campaign. Even though he may not receive as much love as Chinn right now, he has still proven that he was worth a first-round pick. He hasn't recorded a sack yet but he has been a monster at stopping the run. He will only develop his skills even more with more experience, which should be terrifying for interior offensive linemen around the league.
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