Carolina Panthers: 2020 end of season awards

Best free-agent signing

Robby Anderson – Carolina Panthers WR

There were plenty of eyebrows raised when the Carolina Panthers gave Robby Anderson a two-year, $20 million deal to reunite him with Matt Rhule in free agency. However, judging by what we’ve seen this season, it was a masterstroke.

Anderson freeing himself from the moribund New York Jets was an inspired decision. He has looked like a complete wide receiver that can impact the game anywhere in the field, which is a far cry from the “deep threat” tag he brought to the organization.

The former Temple star has gone over 1,000-yards receiving for the first time in his career and his partnership with D.J. Moore has been one of the NFL’s best.

Worst free-agent signing

Tahir Whitehead – Carolina Panthers LB

Losing Luke Kuechly to a shock retirement during the offseason was a body blow for the Panthers. The All-Pro linebacker was the very fabric of the organization from the moment he stepped on the field and whoever was chosen to fill this void had the most unenviable of tasks.

That being said, there was plenty of hope that Tahir Whitehead could do a steady job in the short-term after signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal. However, it wasn’t long before his level of production started to concern and it’s something that really hampered Carolina at a critical time of the season.

Rhule gave him every chance to turn things around. But Whitehead’s inability to produce the goods left the head coach with no alternative other than to phase him out of the lineup and it won’t be long before his time with the Panthers comes to an end.