Here are three former Panthers players we will be keeping a close eye on this coming season.
LB Thomas Davis – Chargers
What he has to prove: Davis has nothing left to prove to anyone. For 14 years, he’s played linebacker at a high level and he would have a legitimate chance to make the Hall of Fame even if he never played another snap. There is one thing still missing, though.
Fans who hope Davis wins a championship before he retires should feel good about his chances this year. The Chargers already had a dangerous defense in 2018. This offseason they added impact players at all three levels. Signing Davis rounds out a lethal linebacker corps. Then, LA’s first-round pick was used on Jerry Tillery, one of the top defensive tackles in a strong class. They also picked up safety Nasir Adderley, arguably giving them as much defensive back depth as any team in the league.
On top of having a loaded defense, the criminally underrated Philip Rivers still looks like a phenomenal competitor on film, if not a graceful one. Now that they finally have a strong supporting cast around Rivers, the question is if they can break through and beat the Patriots in the playoffs. Last year’s divisional round drubbing suggests that’s not going to happen.
Also, the Chiefs represent a significant obstacle in their division, having won nine of their last 10 meetings. Then again, the Chargers probably would have swept last year’s matchups if not for a rash of drops by Rivers’ receivers in the season opener, so even with Patrick Mahomes playing at an MVP level they can compete with Kansas City.
Those are probably the only two AFC teams that could take down LA in the postseason. Davis, Rivers and the rest have to like those odds. If they stay healthy and get a few breaks, they could be in the Super Bowl.
RB C.J. Anderson – Lions
What he has to prove: While his career can’t compare with that of Davis, Anderson has been a starter for a championship team. Anderson also helped carry the Rams to the Super Bowl last year with Todd Gurley’s knee limiting him. At this point, if you don’t think Anderson is a solid running back you probably just don’t know what you’re talking about.
Truth is, the Panthers should have never let him go last year. While it was a classy thing to do, it severely limited their depth at the running back position. If Christian McCaffrey suffers a major injury, they’ll wish that they kept Anderson around or at least re-signed him when he became available again this offseason.
Now that he’s in Detroit, the question is if he’ll see significantly more playing time than he did in Carolina. The Lions haven’t had much of a run game since Barry Sanders’ retirement, but Kerryon Johnson had a very promising rookie season and projects to be their starter. Anderson deserves a real role, though. Time will tell if Matt Patricia gives it to him.
WR Devin Funchess – Colts
What he has to prove: There’s no questioning the value that Davis and Anderson bring to their new teams at their respective positions. The jury is definitely still out on Funchess, though.
For a while, it seemed like Funchess might break through and become Cam Newton’s new No. 1 wide receiver in the wake of the Kelvin Benjamin trade. Immediately following that move, Funchess went on a three-game tear that saw him catch 17 passes for 286 receiving yards and two touchdowns. That turned out to be the high-water mark, though. Funchess never again reached that level of production and seemed to hit rock bottom in the Detroit game last season.
As bad as he looked at times, the 2018 season is not a fair representation of what Funchess is capable of. If the Colts use him in the right way, he could be a legitimate WR2 for Andrew Luck.
Funchess will have the advantage of playing behind T.Y. Hilton, who should take the attention of the other team’s top cornerback. He’s also done well from the slot (no career drops) and on the routes that worked well for Indy’s offense last season. Don’t be shocked if Funchess finally has that breakout year we’ve been talking about every summer since he was drafted.
