4 underhyped Carolina Panthers heading into 2020

Carolina Panthers Player No. 4: Stephen Weatherly (DE)

The Carolina Panthers put a tremendous amount of faith in Stephen Weatherly during the free agency period. They gave the defensive end a two-year, $12.5 million deal that included a $4 million signing bonus and $6.25 million guaranteed to prise him away from the Minnesota Vikings. And he will now get the chance to take his game to new heights in a prominent starting role.

Despite this financial commitment, Weatherly can be classed as underhyped. He has a tremendous set of skills that will be a significant asset to the Panthers. And his production in a rotational role for Mike Zimmer’s men has really caught the eye in recent seasons.

The former seventh-round pick worked his way up the depth chart to become the primary backup to Pro Bowl duo Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. He has secured seven sacks over his last two seasons. And there could be plenty more to come from Weatherly in a Carolina uniform.

Another close thing to keep an eye on is the presence of second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos on the roster. The former Penn State pass-rusher will be looking for a starting job in the not-too-distant future. And this should put an increased sense of urgency on Weatherly’s shoulders to deliver from the off.

The player is a stout presence against the run. And he has also shown enough explosiveness to get in the opposition’s backfield consistently. Everything is in position for Weatherly to succeed. And it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t take another leap forward in 2020.