4 quarterbacks the Panthers should avoid this offseason
By Dean Jones
Which players should the Carolina Panthers avoid this offseason during their aggressive pursuit of finding a better option at quarterback?
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Carolina Panthers are looking for a new quarterback before competitive action gets underway in 2021. Teddy Bridgewater‘s unspectacular start to life with the organization hasn’t filled anybody with confidence regarding his potential to lead the team back to prominence and it appears as if the decision-makers aren’t going to wait around in the hope he can turn things around.
This is all part of the cutthroat nature of the NFL. Owner David Tepper now has his chosen personnel in place and now is the time he’ll start demanding results on the field to match his ambitious plans for progression away from the gridiron.
Nobody will know this more than Matt Rhule. The former Baylor man came across very well in difficult circumstances throughout the 2020 season, with his intense style of coaching and high demands getting a positive response from those on the roster.
Carolina Panthers must not panic in QB search.
There might be some significant quarterback movement across the league in the not-too-distant future. Plenty of established signal-callers are experiencing trade speculation and there is the obvious domino effect that would come with Deshaun Watson moving for a king’s ransom from the Houston Texans.
It is therefore vital that the Panthers don’t panic when all around them might be doing just that. A methodical approach will ensure they get the right man and the future of the franchise rests on it.
For now, let’s examine which quarterbacks Carolina would be wise to stay away from this offseason.
Quarterback No. 1
Mac Jones
- 2020 team – Alabama
The Carolina Panthers got a good look at Mac Jones during Senior Bowl practice, even though the Alabama player couldn’t play in the actual game due to injury. His exceptional 2020 campaign that steered the Crimson Tide to a National Championship could see the prospect chosen in the first-round and Matt Rhule even tried to recruit him when he was at Temple.
Rhule described Jones as “an alpha” during the week in Mobile. But the head coach would be wise to stay clear of a player who has some serious mobility questions to answer against speedier edge rushers at the next level.
Jones would be a nice option for a team that can develop him into a starting-caliber quarterback. But the Panthers are simply not in this situation at the present moment.