Panthers coach Matt Rhule told the media earlier this week that he “really wants” Cam Newton on the team and absolutely expects him to be on the roster when the season starts in September. A lot can happen between now and then, but for now we have to assume Newton will be starting at quarterback Week 1.
That means we can turn our attention to the rest of the issues the team needs to address. Here are 11 steps we have in mind for an ideal 2020 offseason.
1. Let the pending free agents over 30 walk
First things first. Sometimes in order to build, first you have to destroy. In this case, that means allowing the team’s older pending free agents to walk. Bruce Irvin, Mario Addison and Gerald McCoy are all over 30 years old. While they can still contribute, it’s more important to save cap room and allow the team’s younger defensive linemen like Brian Burns to step up and get more playing time.
2. Cut Dontari Poe and Mike Davis
The Panthers have already declined the 2020 option for wide receiver Jarius Wright, which will save the team $3 million in cap room this year. That’s a good start, but they’ll have to create more if they’re going to make any real splashes in free agency. The next two to go should be defensive tackle Dontari Poe and running back Mike Davis. Declining their options will save the team a total of about $12.8 million.
3. Re-sign James Bradberry and Tre Boston
Once that extra cap space is cleared, Carolina will have room to secure some of its more important pieces for the rebuild. On the back end of the defense, that means re-signing pending free agents James Bradberry and Tre Boston. You can argue whether or not Bradberry deserves elite cornerback money. It’s not debatable what will happen if he’s allowed to leave and there’s no upgrade at his position in the works. Boston had a strong 2019 season at free safety and deserves a long-term commitment.
4. Extend Taylor Moton and Curtis Samuel
The Panthers have a couple of quality pieces on offense who are also worth keeping around for the long run. Right tackle Taylor Moton and wide receiver Curtis Samuel still have one year each left on their rookie contracts. However, giving them contract extensions now would likely save the team money and avoid another potential James Bradberry situation.
5. Sign Joe Thuney or Brandon Scherff
Next, the team has to address the biggest hole in the trenches: the one at left guard. While Greg Van Roten is a good run blocker, they need a better pass protector and one who can be a reliable starter for several years. The best option is to sign Joe Thuney of the Patriots, who didn’t committ a single penalty last season. Washington’s Brandon Scherff is the other name worth going after at guard in free agency. If neither of them can be signed, Marty Hurney will have to draft iOL at some point.
6. Sign Robby Anderson or Taylor Gabriel
With Jarius Wright now out of the picture, the Panthers absolutely need to bring in more talent at wide receiver to supplement Samuel and D.J. Moore. Robby Anderson of the Jets played for Matt Rhule in college at Temple and has the speed and size the current receiver corps is lacking. Former Bears wideout Taylor Gabriel is another possiblity – he also has jets to spare and should be a bit cheaper to sign. A.J. Green is also worth considering, but he’s probably going to be too expensive.
7. Pick the top defensive prospect at No. 7
Now, let’s turn our attention to the 2020 NFL draft, where the true work will begin to reshape the roster. There’s a case to be made to trade down right away, but in our opinion Carolina needs to pick one of this year’s blue-chip defensive prospects. That means either cornerback Jeff Okudah, “linebacker” Isaiah Simmons or defensive lineman Derrick Brown. In the unlikely event the top EDGE prospect Chase Young falls that far, they’d have to pick him.
8. Trade down at least twice
Once the Panthers get their new No. 1 pick to help kick-start the rejuvenation on defense, they’ll need to start acquiring more capital in order to fill the team’s many needs. They should trade down at least twice in the draft, accumulating enough picks to address their holes at cornerback, defensive tackle, linebacker, EDGE, safety, left guard, tight end, wide receiver and possibly another backup quarterback.
9. A heavy defense-first draft class
Adding all the picks in the world won’t help if they don’t make the right choices, though. General manager Marty Hurney needs to focus on defense, especially in the early rounds. He should consider using his first three or four picks on the best defensive prospects on the board. Unless a playmaker simply jumps out and demands to be taken, defense needs to be the No. 1 priority in this draft class.
10. Pick a tight end and a wide receiver
Once all three levels of the defense have been dealt with, the Panthers can start thinking about finding more weapons for Cam Newton. Baylor wideout Denzel Mims had a strong night at the NFL Scouting Combine and would make an excellent fit for what the team needs offensively. If not Mims, there are plenty of other promising receivers in this class. LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss is another prospect worth considering.
11. Add more offensive line depth
Playmakers can only make plays when the quarterback has enough time to get them the ball, though. Carolina’s pass protection has been an Achilles’ heel for several years now, no matter who’s been playing at quarterback. The team needs to add more depth both inside and out. A prospect like Temple’s Matt Hennessy or LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry could eventually replace Matt Paradis at center if he struggles again in 2020. It’s also a deep class of offensive tackles, so they should pick up one of them at some point in case 2019 second-round pick Greg Little does not work out at left tackle.
