4 big wins for Carolina Panthers GM Scott Fitterer so far
By Dean Jones
Boosting the Carolina Panthers pass-rush
One of the real problem areas for the Carolina Panthers during the early part of 2020 was their inability to generate consistent pressure in opposing backfields. This allowed quarterbacks to pick them apart at will and even though things improved dramatically down the stretch, Phil Snow’s unit can ill-afford the same sluggish start next time around.
Thankfully, this problem was also identified very early on by Scott Fitterer. The Panthers brought two tremendous forces both on the edge and the interior with the arrivals of Haason Reddick and Morgan Fox, which offset and upgraded the departures of Efe Obada, Zach Kerr, and Kawann Short.
Pairing Reddick as a pass-rushing tandem with Brian Burns is sure to bring around a substantial turnaround in fortunes. With Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes, and the returning Christian Miller also providing edge depth, things look promising.
Fox should also bring a lot as a three-technique alongside Derrick Brown. The new signing played extremely well partnering Aaron Donald for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 and having the former Auburn sensation taking up the majority of attention should work in his favor once again.
Getting a more stereotypical defensive tackle with better run-stopping capabilities will be needed either in free agency or the 2021 NFL Draft. But there is every chance this part of the field will be one of real strength for the Panthers next season.