After an utter embarrassing season in 2023, the Carolina Panthers will look to flip the script in 2024. The Panthers will look a little different this season with a brand new coaching staff.
Usually when you have the worst record in the league, like the Panthers, you have the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Well for Carolina, this was not the case. Their 2-15 record in 2023 got them no first round picks because of their trade with the Chicago Bears for the #1 overall pick in the previous draft. Safe to say this deal has not worked out so well in the Panthers favor.
Carolina went into this offseason and fired their head coach Frank Reich after just one abysmal season. They went out and hired a coach within their own division, Dave Canales. Canales was the offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers and is well-known for reviving and putting Baker Mayfield's career back on track.
The Panthers front office envisions that Canales can do the same for Bryce Young as he did for Baker Mayfield. Young was the #1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and people are already labelling him as a bust after just one season. Others, like myself, remark on how Young was surrounded with little to no help. Luckily for the Panthers, help is on the way.
Carolina went out and traded for wide receiver, Diontae Johnson for the Pittsburgh Steelers and drafted highly talented wide receiver, Xavier Legette as well. These two will pair with Adam Thielen to make up an exciting receiving core that Young will have at his disposal. Hopefully this will help the worst rated passing offense in the NFL from last season.
More offensive line help is on the way as well after the Panthers went out and signed Robert Hunt to a five-year deal and Damien Lewis to a four-year deal. These two will take over and establish a wall in both guard spots on the offensive line.
The one bright spot from 2023 for the Panthers was their defense. The defense ranked as the number four team in the NFL in total defense ranks. This didn't satisfy Carolina though as they went out and upgraded even more. Although Brian Burns departed for New York, the Panthers signed a surplus of new pieces after his departure.
Carolina was able to go out and get A'Shawn Robinson to hold down the defensive line, Jadeveon Clowney and Josey Jewell to head the linebacker room, and Dane Jackson to upgrade the secondary. Along with Robinson, they extended Derrick Brown for four years. Brown and Robinson will make a lethal defensive end pair in the future.
So the Panthers did what a 2-15 team can only do, upgrade. Both sides of the football look entirely different for Carolina paired along with a new coaching staff as well. The Panthers can only go up in 2024 after an atrocious season a year ago.
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