What Are the Panthers Biggest Needs Heading into the Offseason?

The Panthers are coming off their best season in a decade. After a horrid few years, the Panthers secured the NFC South title and a home playoff game. They lost in a last-minute struggle, but overall, this season was a success. The team is in place to be a powerhouse, but is missing a couple of key pieces to truly put them over the top truly.

Offensive Playmakers

The Panthers lack some serious offensive power. Outside of rookie Tetairoa McMillan, an undrafted free agent, Jalen Coker, no one is capable of making big plays. Former first-round pick and second-year receiver Xavier Legette has massively underperformed. Legette was drafted as a big-body, yards-after-the-catch player. As a six-foot-one, 221-pound, with a 4.39 40-time, he has all the physical tools to be elite. Unfortunately, things have not turned out that way. The former Gamecock has struggled to create separation and make catches. The biggest issue is that Legette is a project player. He did not have a strong college season until his senior year. Playing in the SEC, he took time to adjust to the flow and pace of the college game. Legette has had to climb a similar mountain in the NFL, and drafting him alongside a developing quarterback makes a lot of sense on paper. The issue now is that the Panthers are ready to compete, leaving the question: Is Legette here to stay, or will he be moved? 

The playmaking issue isn’t limited to the receiving room. Actually, the receivers have been showing up more as Coker has returned from injury. The tight end room is full of average players. Not a massive issue if you run the offense away from the position. Head coach and playcaller Dave Canales has moved away from the run game and committed to the passing game. With the increase in passing, the need for an athletic, pass-catching tight end is huge. Ja’Tavion Sanders has been the starter, but has been injured most of the season, leaving the position wide open. Sanders had an underwhelming rookie season, but he only started eight games. In his absence, Tommy Tremble has taken the lion’s share of snaps with rookie Mitchell Evans filling in here and there. Both players have had their moments, making touchdowns or big first-down plays, but they have been few and far between. Canales is not scheming them into the playcall consistently, which is also troublesome, showing that Canales does not trust them. 

The rushing attack, once the focal point of the offense, has taken a back seat. This is the second year that the Panthers have had a 1,000-yard rusher, which makes it all the more baffling that the running backs have been pushed aside. There have been some injuries to the offensive line, primarily guard Robert Hunt, but for the most part, the rest of the line has been healthy. Hunt has been out since Week Two, which was well before Rico Dowdle had his rushing explosion. Chuba Hubbard was injured for a good portion of the season, but eventually found himself as the starter again. The running backs we have are more than capable of getting the job done as they have before. There is more help on the side with the addition of rookie Trevor Etienne and former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks returning from injury next year. 

The upcoming free agent class is lacking in what we need from a receiver. There are some excellent tight ends and running backs up for grabs, though. I can’t see us going for a running back, given the state of the room and the possibility of bringing back Dowdle. Tight end is where I would like to see the Panthers target. A significant body, tight end who can act as a receiver, would be a massive boost for the offense. 

Back-up Quarterback

Bryce Young has eliminated doubt about his standing with the Panthers. He is the quarterback of the future and the franchise quarterback. Young played the best season of his career and is primed for a true breakout season next year. Outside of Young, we are shallow at the position. Quarterbacks are hard to come by, but current backup Andy Dalton’s age is showing. Behind Dalton, there has been a carousel of rotating players, none of whom have been serviceable. A new backup quarterback will be key to another successful season from the Panthers. This year has shown how important a backup quarterback can be. Young has remained healthy, but he is a smaller player. He can only take so many hits. 

The Pass Rush

The Panthers' defense has done a complete 180. After a historically bad season, the Panthers spent big in free agency and re-signed some franchise cornerstones. While the defense is now a top-10 unit, it lacks a pass rush. The pass rush has become an integral part of the modern-day NFL. Almost every team above .500 has a good pass rush. The Panthers have begun assembling a pass rush, starting with the draft. Picking up Nic Scourton in the second round and Princely Umanmielen in the third round. Umanmielen is still developing but has shown some promise. Scourton, though, has cemented himself as a starter. With only eight starts on the season, Scourton has accumulated 31 quarterback pressures and five sacks. The Panthers pick at 19 in the draft, and this is where they should draft another quality young talent to pair with Scourton. There are some good free agent options, but they all come with a hefty price tag. The Panthers are still a young team, so adding to that with a quality pass rusher on a rookie contract would be massive. 

Coverage Linebacker

The middle of the field has been a massive weakness for the Panthers' defense. We saw this in full effect when the Rams dominated their final drive to win the playoff game. In Evero Eijro’s soft zone scheme, a linebacker who gets the open receiver and makes the play is crucial. Both starting linebackers, Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace, have given up a catch percentage over 70%. Rozeboom has been targeted 46 times, giving up 35 catches for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Wallace has been targeted 34 times, giving up 24 catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Wallace has been out for some time with a season-ending injury, so he gets some grace. The Panthers need to be better in the middle of the field. They are one of the worst teams against good tight ends. It is even more critical for them to lock down that portion of the field in crunch time. 

Conclusion

The Panthers are getting there, after a decade of subpar performances and some historically bad seasons. The team lacks some big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball. A good foundation has finally been laid with some true franchise players already locked up for the future. The Panthers have not been afraid to spend big in free agency. I expect another big push from the Panthers to round out some of the glaring weaknesses. With pick 19 in the coming draft, the Panthers get a chance to snag a great young player on a rookie contract.