4 Panthers players who could benefit from Scott Fitterer’s arrival
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players stand to benefit most from the appointment of Scott Fitterer as their new general manager?
Scott Fitterer came across extremely well during his first official presser as general manager of the Carolina Panthers. He made a point of not discussing specific individuals, but fans got a good indication as to how the former VP of player personnel with the Seattle Seahawks is going to approach this new and exciting opportunity.
It’s clear that everybody seems to be on the same page, which is great news for the Panthers. Owner David Tepper and head coach Matt Rhule were highly impressed with Fitterer’s ambition when they got him into the building following a virtual interview, which should result in a successful offseason period of recruitment despite not having the funds expected due to COVID-19 revenue losses.
Fitterer claimed they would be “in on every deal”, which could mean a bombshell trade to acquire Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson this offseason. The signal-caller is reportedly interested in moving back to an area where he thrived in college at Clemson, so if the Panthers somehow manage to pull this off, it would instantly turn them into contenders.
There are also some current members of the roster who might benefit from Fitterer’s arrival. Here are four such individuals.
Player No. 1
Matt Paradis – Carolina Panthers C
Matt Paradis was much improved this season following a dismal start to life in Carolina during the 2019 campaign. However, releasing the veteran would represent a significant saving on their salary-cap which could be a massive boost with financial resources coming down.
Given how Scott Fitterer highlighted how important building through the trenches is, it might give Paradis a reprieve on the final year of his deal. The former Boise State standout is set to count $10.33 million against the cap next season, but if the general manager decides that some continuity is needed from the center spot, then it might see the player stick around.
This would mean sacrifices need to be made elsewhere. But it appears as if Fitterer isn’t going to be afraid of making tough calls with a view to improving the organization.