5 things Carolina Panthers fans should be thankful for in 2021

Carolina Panthers have a GM with purpose

The days of Marty Hurney and Dave Gettleman were tough. Although they did bring in some draft selections that are playing at a high level, their overall decision-making process was not where the Carolina Panthers needed it to be and certainly not what team owner David Tepper had in mind when buying the organization.

That all changed this offseason with the appointment of Scott Fitterer. The former front office figure with the Seattle Seahawks wowed Tepper and Matt Rhule during a whirlwind interview process to secure the role and his first few months at the helm have been hugely successful and eventful in equal measure.

There have been some errors. Most notably the decision to give up three draft picks to acquire Sam Darnold from the New York Jets. But in fairness to Fitterer, he isn’t one to let things run their course if he feels things aren’t going according to plan.

Bringing back Cam Newton, trading for Stephon Gilmore, and a strong 2021 NFL Draft class have been among the highlights of Fitterer’s tenure so far. The general manager is also a shrewd operator in the trade market when it comes to finding value by moving up or down the board.

Fitterer knows what he’s doing. Which is a far cry from what was demonstrated by previous GMs more often than not.

He’s formed a good relationship with ownership and Matt Rhule in a short space of time. Fitterer is also a progressive thinker and exceptional college talent evaluator, which is the hallmark of every successful man in his position.