ESPN predicts disappointing Carolina Panthers free agency
How active will the Carolina Panthers be during free agency?
The Carolina Panthers have a variety of roster issues for general manager Marty Hurney, owner David Tepper and coach Ron Rivera to sort through this offseason. An aging roster led to two retirements and the decision to release Mike Adams and not re-sign Thomas Davis.
Each created openings on both sides of the football – along each line, at linebacker and safety. Coupled with free agent to be Daryl Williams, expectations are for an offensive line overhaul and edge rusher to be added via the NFL Draft in late April.
Until then, the free agent market officially opens on March 13 at 4:00pm ET for Carolina to gather some experienced pieces to their puzzle. No one knows precisely which candidates the Panthers will target but all of these positions should gather some consideration – offensive/defensive line, receiver, safety and linebacker.
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Even with all of the potential openings, ESPN predicts Carolina will be “not as active as fans might hope” throughout the free agent period. Traditionally, the Panthers have been relatively quiet through the opening hours with no big splash signings, utilizing a more calculated approach. This would fall in line with the feelings of ESPN although fans may want Tepper to create some initial waves.
"The Panthers have slightly more than $15 million in cap space after re-signing safety Eric Reid, so they won’t be very active unless they clear more space. That would happen if the team opts to move on from left tackle Matt Kalil. The focus likely will be on finding a midrange-priced edge rusher with the retirement of end Julius Peppers or an offensive lineman who can play multiple positions. — David Newton"
Adding some experienced linemen would be beneficial, especially if the projections of a first-round edge rusher prove to be true. The departures of Adams, Davis and Ryan Kalil are sure to have an impact on the locker room, leaving tight end Greg Olsen as the elder statesman on the roster.
Next. Free Agent WR Options. dark
Stay tuned to see how Hurney navigates the free agent waters leading up to the NFL Draft in the coming weeks.