5 biggest questions heading into Panthers training camp in 2021

Was Haason Reddick’s 12.5-sack season a fluke?

The Carolina Panthers added pass-rusher Haason Reddick to help Brian Burns harass opposing quarterbacks in 2021. The recent acquisition played at Temple under head coach Matt Rhule, which brought around some significant success en route to becoming a high-end first-round selection in 2017.

Reddick had a super dominant 2020 season rushing the passer. But before that in his career, he had been somewhat of a bust.

In his first three years, Reddick only tallied 7.5 sacks, averaging a measly 2.5 sacks per year.

This could be due to not playing strictly edge before last year. The Arizona Cardinals experimented with putting Reddick in different spots with no success. Something they’d later come to regret when he decided to take his chances somewhere else with a coach who knows exactly how to maximize his production.

Reddick has a very team-friendly deal and isn’t locked up long term, so this isn’t a huge risk.

But the question still needs to be asked whether his 12.5-sack campaign last time around was a one-off or the start of something a lot bigger.

A strong training camp is the first step for Reddick. He should also get plenty of space to work thanks to Burns’s presence coming off the opposite edge.

If Reddick can recreate his 2020 season, I feel sorry for opposing quarterbacks.