4 big decisions that backfired on the Panthers in 2020
By Dean Jones
Which big roster decisions backfired on the Carolina Panthers in 2020?
The Carolina Panthers made some widespread changes across the board before the 2020 season. They gutted their roster of established veterans and brought in a coaching staff that was young and progressive but came with little in the way of NFL experience in a bid to end a period of stagnation under former head coach Ron Rivera.
This resulted in some expected inconsistencies, even though the Carolina Panthers were arguably more competitive against top opposition than any of the national media experts predicted.
However, there is some real work that needs to be done in the coming months if the organization wants to take another step forward and become a postseason contender.
It’s hard not to look back on the campaign and not think it could have been even better. To achieve a 5-11 record without star running back Christian McCaffrey for all but three games is encouraging and it might have looked even more promising had it not been for some decisions made both before and during the campaign.
With that being said, let’s examine which roster moves that backfired on the Panthers in 2020.
Decision No. 1
Trading Trai Turner
The Panthers’ interior protection started off the season well. But by the end of the campaign, it reverted to type. This hampered the team significantly – especially in critical moments – and it would be a shock if there wasn’t a complete overhaul in this particular area of the field in the coming months.
Carolina opted to trade Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner in exchange for veteran left tackle Russell Okung during the previous offseason. This was one with one eye on the salary-cap in mind, but it’s hard to look at this move and not think it didn’t exactly go the Panthers’ way.
The Super Bowl winner had trouble staying healthy, which was a real concern going in. Turner didn’t exactly shine in a different environment either, so even though there was some short-term damage with this particular trade, it does give Carolina some vital financial wiggle room this spring with Okung’s $13 million in base salary coming off the books.