The scale of the Carolina Panthers' so-called "rebuild" is under debate.
But if you ask Russell Okung, not only will he give you a well-thought-out answer on the topic, but he'll say no, he doesn't consider the team he is moving cross-country to join in the final year of his deal, to be in a state of rebuilding.
"I made it really clear. I'm not here to just rebuild. I'm here to win and to win right now," Okung said during a conference call Tuesday. "I'm not coming out there to waste any time, and I think that's the expectation across the board."
The former sixth overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft out of Oklahoma State will now come into Carolina as one of the team's clear offensive leaders. He has the task of filling the left tackle position that has lacked security and stability for some time, in addition to filling a mentor-type role for second-year left tackle Greg Little, who played in just four games last season due to injury.
"We thought (the trade for Okung) was a decision that we wanted to make in the big-picture plan of our offensive line," general manager Marty Hurney said on acquiring Okung last week. "We have all the confidence in the world in Greg, and it just gives him time to come in and get with a guy who has played in this league at a high level for a long time and develop with Greg."
Carolina's left tackle began his time with his new team over a month ago when he was traded by the Chargers in exchange for guard Trai Turner March 4. While things moved quickly from Turner's perspective, Okung had been having conversations on the topic with head coach Anthony Lynn, who he calls "one of the greatest people," after a difficult year that included Okung, 31, dealing with a life-threatening pulmonary embolism in June 2019 that threatened his life.
Okung referred to it as the most "challenging times of his life," with it also occurring around the time of the birth of his first child.
During the start of his conference call with reporters Okung made time to recognize the people who don't have the opportunity to work from home right now and are filling vital roles. Although he hasn't even moved yet to the Carolinas, he brought up that he has been praying for the people impacted by storms in South Carolina and said he's still figuring out exactly what he can do to help those who need it dealing with COVID-19, which he referred to as "the great equalizer," with the virus impacting many types of people.
"We want to see how we can help, you want to get to know those in the community," Okung said. "The Panthers have assured me that we're going to make best efforts to engage the community as a whole."
The immediate impact COVID-19 has had on the Panthers will be seen in the team beginning offseason training virtually next week, something that Okung doesn't view as a very big deal for his new team, despite needing to learn new offensive coordinator Joe Brady's offense with the team's new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. He made it through the 2011 lockout when teams were not able to even talk until late July. He said that this is something he thinks the team can make it through easily.
"I was a part of the lockout, and that was a time in which we weren't even able to come back, to the facility, until the later part of July, so I think it's OK. I think it's OK if we miss this time. I'm putting a lot of trust (that) our coaching staff, our players are going to be prepared and ready for the demands of the game," Okung said. "I think it's important to note, the players I've talked to they're working their tail off to be as competitive as they can, for the year."
Okung hasn't been in a Panthers uniform and hasn't been with the team in the locker room. He has played with center Matt Paradis, "Paradise" as Okung calls him, in Denver for a year in 2016 and is reuniting with former Chargers offensive line coach Pat Meyer, but he's getting to know everyone else and he likely won't be in the same room as these people for some time.
But just listening to him talk, and he already sounds like a leader, even if the length of his tenure in Carolina is unknown with just one year remaining on his current deal (although he said he plans on playing for some time).
Okung recognizes and is aware, as one of the top left tackles in the NFL, that he is joining a young offense and understands the responsibility that will be on his shoulders.
"I know the expectations will be high, and I think you lead from the front," Okung said. "I know they're putting a lot on my shoulders, in terms of being ready and in terms of passing on all the things that I've been giving, in my tenure in the NFL. And I'll do just that."
