Panthers: Turner, offense ready to score
New Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator, Norv Turner, may have all the pieces he needs to light up the scoreboard on Sunday…
Days after the Carolina Panthers season ended, coach Ron Rivera said he didn’t expect many changes during the offseason. Rivera was wrong as the Panthers have undergone significant turnover both in their personnel and on the coaching staff.
Offensive coordinator Mike Shula was released along with quarterback coach Ken Dorsey. In addition, numerous other coaches changed positions or were promoted and all three coordinators will be new next season.
On offense, Norv Turner takes over for Shula and his experience speaks for itself. Last year was the first NFL season since 1985 that Turner wasn’t on the sidelines or coaching for a team in some capacity. His expertise should add an exciting touch to an offense which may look a little different than the Shula coached units of the past few years.
Turner relies heavily on a vertical offense and when given the appropriate pieces has enjoyed an enormous amount of success against opposing defenses. His offense is a unique combination of mid to long range passing, coupled with a power run game. While Carolina has routinely enjoyed the latter, a focus on the preceding pass opportunities will be needed for franchise quarterback Cam Newton to thrive this season.
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The four key components of a successful vertical offense include a solid offensive line and tight end with a big number one wide receiver and the power run game. When given access to all four, Turner has produced top-five scoring offenses in the league.
Carolina may already have each of these four aspects but the NFL Draft remains important. If Devin Funchess can emerge as a legitimate number one receiver and a running back steps in behind Christian McCaffrey to assist in carrying the load, then the Panthers should be set up for some really nice offensive performances next season.
Greg Olsen is arguably the best tight end in the league and despite the loss of guard Andrew Norwell, Carolina should be proficient at protecting Newton in passing situations. While both running back and offensive guard may be addressed at the draft, both are likely to only add depth at either position.
Next: Offseason Roster Review - Defense
Having checked all of the boxes, expect Carolina to put up plenty of points under Turner during the coming season.