5 things we learned from the Carolina Panthers 2021 offseason

Carolina Panthers’ aggressive approach to recruitment

The introduction of general manager Scott Fitterer into the fold was something the Carolina Panthers sorely needed. He arrived from the Seattle Seahawks with a glowing reputation in league circles and wasted no time in forming a close working relationship alongside Matt Rhule in pursuit of the same goals.

There’s been plenty of player turnover in Carolina over the last few months. Fitterer was extremely active during the draft and constantly churned out the bottom-end of the roster at training camp to get a look at as many players as possible who could help.

Some worked out. Some didn’t.

But this aggressive approach has the roster looking far better now than at any stage in 2020.

Another thing that’s been noticeable is if certain individuals aren’t pulling their weight, the Panthers won’t hesitate to move them on at the earliest possible opportunity. Greg Little and Denzel Perryman were the two main victims of this in the offseason, with kicker Joey Slye also shown the door in favor of Ryan Santoso after a trade with the New York Giants.

This is a process, obviously. But Carolina’s loyal fanbase is getting weary of cheering losing football.

The upcoming season is extremely important. One that could ultimately determine whether current methods are working and just how long it’s going to be before the Panthers can realistically contend.