4 best Carolina Panthers decisions during 2021 free agency so far
By Dean Jones
Strengthening the defensive front
Generating sacks was a real problem for the Carolina Panthers during the early part of 2020. Things did get slightly better as the campaign wore on but much more is required from the defensive front if they want to make strides next season and beyond.
This is something that Carolina identified as an area to target in free agency and they have done so without compromising their cap too much. Haason Reddick reunited with his old college coach Matt Rhule after signing from the Arizona Cardinals for just $6 million guaranteed, which represents outstanding value for a player that finished the campaign with 12.5 sacks.
Reddick’s arrival was swiftly followed by Morgan Fox agreeing to join the Panthers following a successful spell with the Los Angeles Rams. His ability to contribute either from the edge or as a three-technique is sure to be a tremendous asset for a unit that looks stronger than it has in quite some time.
Putting this duo with Derrick Brown, Brian Burns, Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes, and the returning Christian Miller comes with bags of potential and it would be a massive surprise if sack numbers didn’t return to around the level we saw from the Panthers in 2019.
There is also a chance Carolina takes a dynamic rusher via the 2021 NFL Draft to further bolster Phil Snow’s options.