Official 2021 Carolina Panthers - QB or not QB? That is the question.
If we don’t get Watson, then we pass on Fields and Lance, I guess I’ll trust that we made the right decision until proven otherwise, but I’ll be very skeptical.
I’d trade up a few spots for a franchise LT. Is that still the word on Sewell?
The Athletic talked to league personnel after each team’s FA moves. Some interesting thoughts about the Panthers.
NFL free agency wins, losses and questions for all 32 teams: Execs on Pats and Giants’ spending, Bucs’ strategy, more
https://theathletic.com/2492892/202...-pats-and-giants-spending-bucs-strategy-more/
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Coach Matt Rhule and new GM Scott Fitterer made clear before free agency the Panthers would not be big spenders. Entering into modest short-term deals has kept the public focus on what the Panthers might have in store for their future at quarterback, but the moves Carolina did make drew both positive and negative reviews within the league.
“I was shocked they gave $8 million fully guaranteed to Cam Erving coming off a year where he was making $2.5 million with Dallas, played only six games and before that, was not good in Kansas City when he had to replace Eric Fisher,” an exec said. “That seemed like a misreading of the market.”
The merits of any one deal will vary, of course. In looking at the Panthers’ free agency more broadly, the team did build upside into most of its signings.
“I think they kind of found a little bit of a market inefficiency here,” another exec said. “There were a bunch of guys signing one-year prove-it deals this year. Carolina signed guys that should be on one-year prove-it deals for a little bit more and got a second year out of it, where if they hit on some of them, they’re going to be in really good shape next year with underpaid players.”
True, but the cap space used for those deals wasn’t readily available. The Panthers created space specifically for these signings of lower-level free agents.
The Panthers determined Erving could help provide versatility to an offensive line led by tackle Taylor Moton, who received the $13.7 million franchise tag. Meanwhile, Fitterer reached into his Seattle past to sign receiver David Moore to a two-year, $4.75 million contract after Curtis Samuel left for Washington on a three-year, $34.5 million deal.
“I don’t know if they did much to help them or hurt them,” an evaluator said. “They like those offensive linemen. The problem with Curtis Samuel is knowing how to play him. He is kind of a joker with no real set position, so I can see why they let him go. I could have seen the owner inserting himself there and pushing to add players, but it seems like a pretty conservative, solid approach.”