5 NFC South free agents the Panthers can purge in 2021
By Dean Jones
Jameis Winston – QB
The Carolina Panthers clearly have a predicament on their hands where Teddy Bridgewater is concerned. His level of production – especially in close games and down the stretch – simply wasn’t good enough and it’s left many media figures and fans wondering why the organization gave someone that hadn’t started since 2015 a three-year deal.
There is nothing Carolina can do about that now.
But they would be wise to bring in someone capable of filling the void if Bridgewater continues to regress.
Jameis Winston is a feast or famine signal-caller who spent last season sitting behind Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints. Spending some time out of the firing line was probably best for a player that threw for over 5,000 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.
The former No. 1 overall selection will have learned a lot from Brees, perhaps in readiness to take over from the legendary figure later this year. Winston appears to be in pole position if the future Pro Football Hall of Famer does call it a day. But there is a lot to like about his potential fit on the Panthers thanks to the wealth of weapons at their disposal.
Much will depend on what their draft plans are regarding the position. Carolina is still facing the prospect of losing offensive coordinator Joe Brady to a head coaching job, although the pool of opportunities he interviewed for is slimming.