Carolina Panthers Prepare For A New Season
The NFL season is nearly upon us, and for the Carolina Panthers it’s going to be a pivotal season. Granted, it always feels that way just as football is starting up, but it truly feels like the 2018 season may define the franchise’s direction for years to come. The Panthers fell to the Saints in a very tough, very close game in the wildcard round in January, which always makes the offseason tougher. But if all goes according to plan, Carolina could be back in the playoff hunt with a little bit of a new look.
New Ownership
Ownership isn’t something you notice watching the games but it can dramatically affect a franchise, and the Panthers have moved on from Jerry Richardson. This was a little bit of a hectic process as Richardson had to sell quickly following allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior. It appeared briefly as if Frank Fertitta III, the CEO of Station Casinos, was interested in buying the Panthers. Ben Navarro, the founder of Sherman Financial Group, was also involved. But in the end the team sold for a record sum to 60-year-old hedge fund manager David Tepper, who is expected to bring about something of a culture shift. We’ll have to see what that means.
A New Receiving Corps
Anyone who watched the Panthers in 2017 knows that the receiving corps was a little bit of a problem. Christian McCaffrey, the dynamic backfield threat the Panthers drafted in the spring of 2017, was arguably the most effective pass catcher excluding long-time tight-end Greg Olsen, who missed some time. Now, however, the Panthers have a re-tooled group of receivers that gives Cam Newton a lot more options. Devin Funchess remains in place, but will be joined by veteran Torrey Smith, who was signed in free agency. 2017 second round pick Curtis Samuel is also expected to be healthy this season, and 2018 first rounder DJ Moore adds a lot of speed to the group. Throw in Olsen and this is probably the deepest and most versatile group Newton has ever worked with, even if there’s some youth involved.
A New Offensive Coordinator
Perhaps the biggest change in terms of what we’ll see on the field this season comes via Norv Turner. Turner is one of the more experienced offensive minds in the NFL and has left the Vikings to become the new offensive coordinator in Charlotte. The early word is that big changes are evident, which sounds as if Turner is going to work to get the most out of the aforementioned receiving corps, Cam Newton, and McCaffrey. He’s known to be something of a perfectionist, but that can produce excellent results under the right circumstances.
It’s going to be a very different year, and the NFC South once again looks very tough for the Panthers. The Saints and Falcons are both expected to compete for the playoffs, so the Panthers will have their work cut out for them. At the same time it’s hard not to be excited for a Carolina team that looks to be taking a fairly aggressive approach toward staying competitive.