For much of the 2020 offseason, the question has been whether the Panthers are “rebuilding” or “retooling.” The answer seemed to change day to day depending on the most recent move the franchise made. Releasing Greg Olsen and allowing everyone from Mario Addison to James Bradberry to leave in free agency seemed to indicate a total rebuild was underway.
However, signing players like Teddy Bridgewater and Robby Anderson has made it clear that this is more of a retooling phase rather than a blow-it-all-up and start from scratch kind of movement.
The best evidence for the retooling argument was the trade that sent Trai Turner to the Chargers for Russell Okung. Not only is Okung five years older, but he has just one year left on his contract. For his part, Okung told reporters in a Zoom call yesterday that he doesn’t see this team as rebuilding and he’s here to win and win right now.
Okung will play a huge role in whether or not the Panthers can improve on their division-worst 5-11 record last year.
Trading for Okung wasn’t our favorite move the team has made this offseason, but at least it gives them a proven, stable option to start at left tackle for the first time since Jordan Gross retired. If Okung is able to stay healthy and continue to play at the respectable level he has most of his career, it will help Bridgewater make use of the considerable number of weapons he has around him.
Okung also has to help build for the future. His most important task aside from his own performance will be developing 2019 second-round pick Greg Little. Thanks to several injuries, he only played four games as a rookie and saw his growth stunted. If Okung is able to coach up Little and get him ready to replace him in 2021, it will go a long way towards securing the future at a spot that’s been problematic for too long.
