Carolina Panthers: Stealing one player from every NFC South foe in 2021
By Dean Jones
If the Carolina Panthers could steal one player from every NFC South rival during the 2021 season, which individuals would they pick?
Although there is a slight window of opportunity for the Carolina Panthers next season, they’ll have their work cut out trying to make an impression within a difficult NFC South that has undergone some landmark changes in recent weeks.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now the defending Super Bowl champions after an incredible postseason run with Tom Brady under center. Another bold bid is expected next time after keeping all their starters around, which is almost unheard of and a further testament to veterans wanting to hitch their wagon to the legendary signal-caller going in search of his eighth ring.
Carolina won’t have to deal with Drew Brees anymore after the future Pro Football Hall of Famer opting to retire and head to the television studio after a glittering career with the New Orleans Saints.
Whether Sean Payton can have similar success with the erratic Jameis Winston remains to be seen, but the Saints also had to make a significant amount of sacrifices to comply with a reduced salary cap in 2021 to further rub salt into their wounds.
Carolina Panthers won’t have to deal with Julio Jones in 2021.
The same also applies to Julio Jones, who was traded by the Atlanta Falcons to the Tennessee Titans after a decade of elite production. The former Alabama stud has torched the Panthers over his career and not having to face him twice a season is a massive morale boost for a new-look secondary.
These are encouraging signs for the Panthers. But what progress this young roster can make will ultimately come down to whether or not they can turn their close-fought losses into wins as the campaign progresses.
Without further ado, we thought it might be fun to pick out one player from every NFC South team that Carolina would steal from their rivals if presented with the opportunity in 2021.