The Carolina Panthers have undergone a dramatic transformation this offseason. The starting quarterback, the coaching staff and most of the defense has been turned over since the last time they took the field. How many games they win in 2020 will depend a great deal on how well some of the new key pieces perform in their respective roles.
Here are three big questions for the team to answer this year.
Is Bridgewater more than a game manager?
Teddy Bridgewater has big shoes to fill as he steps in for former league MVP Cam Newton as Carolina’s starting quarterback.
One advantage he has is experience with offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who worked with Bridgewater when he was an assistant for the Saints. For Bridgewater, the question is if he can change his reputation and become more than just a game manager. Since he came into the league, over 90 quarterbacks have posted a higher average depth of target. While there’s something to be said for taking what the defense gives you, aggressive passing is what truly wins games in today’s NFL.
Bridgewater has completed enough throws of 25-plus yards to prove he can do it, but he’ll need to do so more consistently in order to keep opponents from cheating against All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. Bridgewater will have the weapons to do it, at least. The team’s new offensive weapons – especially Robby Anderson – are fast and adept at testing defenses deep. If Teddy can develop more ambitious instincts without sacrificing his sound decision-making, it should make the passing offense quite potent.
How steep will the learning curve be?
First-year head coaches in the NFL face a lot of challenges even under normal circumstances. Matt Rhule may be inheriting an unprecedented situation, though.
Not only has he taken over a team that went 5-11 last year (fourth place in the NFC South), but a roster that lost several defensive starters this offseason, including Luke Kuechly and practically every defensive lineman except for Kawann Short and Brian Burns.
Now, Rhule has to get everybody all on the same page without the benefit of a traditional offseason program. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rhule has had to coach up his new players virtually. In other words? It might take some time for this new-look Panthers team to jell.
The good news is this is exactly what Rhule was hired for. It took him just two years to turn around floundering programs at Temple and Baylor in his previous stops. Competing in 2020 will be a tall order in a stacked division, but if the team can make significant strides in the second half of the season, it will be a positive sign of what’s to come in the Rhule era.
Is the 2020 draft class ready to roll?
One side effect of losing so many defensive players to free agency is the Panthers will have to rely on their 2020 rookie class more than most teams. They used all seven picks on defense this year (the first team since the AFL-NFL merger to do so) and several of them will need to start.
That includes first-round pick Derrick Brown – who has the power to make an impact at the next level but needs to stand out to shed comparisons to Isaiah Simmons, taken one pick later by the Cardinals. Second-rounder Yetur-Gross Matos was a strong value pick at No. 38. However, he will have to be effective both inside and on the edge. The greatest weight will fall on the team’s young defensive backs though, beginning with Jeremy Chinn, who is one of the most athletic prospects in this class.
Fourth-round pick Troy Pride Jr. in particular will be tested as he attempts to replace James Bradberry as the top outside cornerback on the roster. Carolina’s fifth-round selection Kenny Robinson may also see a lot of snaps depending on where defensive coordinator Phil Snow thinks he fits best. If these rookies don’t learn fast, odds are it’s going to be a long year.
