Carolina Panthers: Hurney rightfully is No. 21 in NFL Power Rankings
In the latest NFL Power Rankings, Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney landed at No. 21 and rightfully so. Hurney could be on a short leash during the start of a complete rebuild.
Whether you love him or hate him, Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney is all about doing his best even though some of his decisions can leave you scratching your head. He’s been doing this for a long time with the Panthers but now, more so than ever before, all eyes will be on him and the decisions he makes during an important complete rebuild.
It’s a rebuild that sees the Panthers start from the bottom up and try to fix many glaring issues on the roster before they can become contenders again. They need help bad on defense, specifically on their defensive line, secondary, and overall pass rush. Hurney has made some decent moves this offseason by bolstering the offense but it remains to be seen if everything comes together.
They’ll be a new quarterback under center for the first time in nine years as he was able to sign Teddy Bridgewater via free agency. Hurney also added some new talent at wide receiver in Robby Anderson who will have an opportunity to prove whether or not he can be a true No. 1 receiving option.
Perhaps the biggest splash of all was finally taking care of star player Christian McCaffrey by signing him to a long-term deal that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Of course, free agency is one thing but the biggest measuring stick will always be how a general manager does during an NFL Draft.
Marty Hurney rightfully lands at No. 21 in NFL Power Rankings
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In NFL.com’s GM Power Rankings by Gregg Rosenthal, Hurney landed at No. 21 and rightfully so. Not only did he lose three overall spots based on last year’s power rankings, but could be on the outside looking in. It’s no secret that they’ll be a lot of pressure on Hurney and how he addresses all these issues on the roster in this year’s draft.
They’ll more than likely be a short leash on Hurney if he can get the job done based on his past. If things go south and he makes some surprising picks, especially in Round 1, that could be the writing on the wall that perhaps the Panthers should go in a different direction at general manager. Remember, this rebuild isn’t about just the players but the overall leadership regime and creating a new culture.
Panthers owner David Tepper knows that in order for the Panthers to bounce back from lackluster seasons, he needed to make some serious changes starting at the top. This season will see a brand new head coach Matt Rhule and lots of new faces on the coaching staff. If Hurney messes up this year’s draft, it could easily set the Panthers back a few more years in their current rebuild.
Larrell Murchison would upgrade Panthers pass rush. light. Trending
Overall, Rosenthal hit the nail on the head with properly placing Hurney at No. 21 in these latest NFL Power Rankings. He hasn’t done much to help his cause and even though some of this offseason’s free agent signings bring hope, the proof of whether or not he should be kept for the future will be on what this year’s final draft class looks like. If he drops the ball, it could very well be his last opportunity with the Panthers.