4 pressing items for Panthers GM Scott Fitterer’s to-do list
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers are set to appoint Scott Fitterer as their new general manager.
Considering the interview process took a considerable period of time and involved a host of candidates, it didn’t take long for the Carolina Panthers to realize that Scott Fitterer was the right man to replace recently fired Marty Hurney as their new general manager.
Few would argue that Fitterer isn’t ready to assume this sort of responsibility. He has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success during his time with the Seattle Seahawks – where he most recently held the VP of football operations position – and the Carolina Panthers have little time to waste when it comes to planning for yet another crucial offseason period for the organization.
Fitterer clearly impressed both owner David Tepper and Matt Rhule, who was heavily involved in the recruitment process.
But now the hard work starts.
There are plenty of crucial decisions that need to be made regarding current players and potential recruits sooner rather than later. Here are some of the top items on Fitterer’s to-do list in the coming weeks.
Item No. 1
Form a long-term plan with Rhule
This has already been discussed at length during the interview process. But now Scott Fitterer has got the job it won’t be long before he sits down with Matt Rhule to form a long-term plan to progress the Carolina Panthers.
It’s clear that Rhule is being given plenty of power to call some shots by David Tepper, so some sort of middle ground needs to be found between the head coach and general manager. Fitterer has plenty of experience being around a winning franchise and is widely respected in league circles, which is sure to serve him well in Carolina.
What comes next during the 2021 preparation period is going to go a long way to determining just how long Carolina’s current rebuild will take. Fitterer has a big job on and needs to hit the ground running, so the sooner he comes up with a concise and structured plan with Rhule, the better.