Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady held his first press conference today. He didn’t offer much in the way of details, but everything he said indicates he has a sound understanding of the game and what it takes to stay competitive in the NFL.
Watch Brady talk about how football is constantly evolving and how important innovation is.
This is all good stuff. Fans should probably temper their expectations for Brady’s offense in year one, though. Right now this is a seriously flawed roster and nobody seems certain who’s even going to be starting at quarterback.
At the moment, Cam Newton is their best option. However, there have been increased rumors about the team potentially looking to trade him once he’s healthy. Ian Rapoport, Tony Pauline and Jay Glazer have all suggested the team will at least explore dealing their former MVP QB this offseason.
Trading Newton would still surprise us. However, if the Panthers are really undergoing a total rebuild then it makes sense to move on even if the transition is going to be painful.
Newton represents the team’s best chance to win games in 2020 but the team is obviously taking a longer view given Matt Rhule’s seven-year contract. If the front office believes they can find a new franchise QB in this year’s draft who better suits their offensive philosophy, there’s a strong chance they will pursue him.
There are also question marks at several other key positions.
If veteran tight end Greg Olsen follows Luke Kuechly into retirement, they’ll need new blood at that spot.
Carolina will also require more firepower at wide receiver further down the depth chart if Brady’s spread formations are going to be nearly as prevalent as they were at LSU.
The biggest early obstacle for Brady will likely be overcoming what has been an awful pass protecting offensive line. Without significant improvement in pass blocking across the board up front, this offense is going to be limited no matter who’s running it.
