3 problems Carolina Panthers have with patient free-agent approach
By Dean Jones
You snooze, you lose
Waiting around in free agency is all well and good. But if the Carolina Panthers leave it too long then they’ll miss out on some veteran players who might not command the sort of money they normally would have if the salary-cap had gone up as expected.
NFL teams are going to need a steady hand this offseason. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets have an abundance of financial resources at their disposal and should act accordingly, with the Panthers also having more than most to bring in quality to a roster that has plenty of nice young pieces to build around.
Players not considered in the top-tier are going to be looking for not only the right deal but a team that is going places. Carolina doesn’t appear to be that far away from entering the playoff picture – providing they get recruitment right and find a better option to Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback – so this will be the sell Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule need to give regarding free agents of interest in the coming weeks.
Just diving in is something that’s hurt the Panthers in the past where free agents are concerned. So waiting around to a certain extent is a smart move.
However, this is a precarious gamble and the pool of potential additions is also going to shrink the longer they hold off pulling the trigger.