Good, bad and ugly from Scott Fitterer’s first season as Panthers GM

Too soon for the Carolina Panthers to move on from Scott Fitterer

The Sam Darnold trade was undeniably a massive error, and some free agency signings were questionable, to say the least. However, moving on from Scott Fitterer after just one season would be premature.

It’s important to take a step back and remember that this team wasn’t expected to be in contention yet. Fitterer embraced the job with a clear plan and process for building the roster.

We’ve already seen glimpses of this plan in action. Considering how many holes remain, a general manager like Fitterer who sees the value in trading back in the draft to acquire more selections could be exactly what the Carolina Panthers need to swiftly add needed depth.

If Carolina is indeed looking for a new head coach in a few weeks, prospective candidates will most likely want to see some sort of continuity within the front office. Firing Fitterer less than a year into his tenure would be bailing from his plan too soon.

Everyone agrees the Panthers made a serious mistake in trying to cut short what was supposed to be a long-term rebuild project. Hopefully, Fitterer has learned from that mistake and can oversee a legitimate effort this time around.

If Rhule is let go, having Fitterer to assist David Tepper in the coaching search could certainly be beneficial as he previously spent decades with a winning franchise that had a stable coaching staff in the Seattle Seahawks.

None of this means that we shouldn’t be asking questions about Fitterer, because the team has certainly made some poor moves since his arrival.

At the end of the day, being a general manager is a difficult job, and it’s unreasonable to expect anyone to perfect the science in their first year. The season has been a major disappointment, but firing Fitterer would reek of another rash and impulsive decision from the organization.