What exactly do the Carolina Panthers have at QB in 2021?
By Dean Jones
How are the Carolina Panthers looking at quarterback after an eventful offseason period that came with yet another big change?
The Carolina Panthers saw enough from Teddy Bridgewater in 2020 to determine he wasn’t going to be part of their long-term plans. Last year’s marquee free-agent signing was inconsistent at best under center during his first year with the franchise and his 0-8 record on game-winning or tying drives proved to be the final nail in his coffin.
Bridgewater’s limitations during his career were there for all to see before the Panthers gave him a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed. This was one of the worst contracts ever given out by the organization and it’s even costing the team $7 million in 2021 despite the former first-round pick being traded to the Denver Broncos.
This leaves the Panthers looking at their second new quarterback in as many seasons, which isn’t exactly ideal. Carolina came extremely close to acquiring Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions and their willingness to go all out for Deshaun Watson was well documented, leaving the writing on the wall where Bridgewater was concerned.
They finally found their man after an extensive search.
But whether this will come with a turnaround in fortunes remains to be seen.
The Panthers have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. However, this will all be for nothing if the quarterback position continues to prevent them from getting over the line at crucial stages during the campaign.
With this in mind, we took an in-depth look into exactly what Carolina has at the most important position on the field in 2021.