4 Panthers players who’ll benefit most from Ben McAdoo’s arrival
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players stand to benefit most from the appointment of new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo in 2022?
The Carolina Panthers settled on Ben McAdoo as their replacement for Joe Brady after an extensive search for a new offensive coordinator. Something that came with mixed reviews from the team’s fanbase who were expecting something more.
All the talk of rock star appointments was never really going to materialize considering the current state of the franchise. Head coach Matt Rhule is on the hot seat, the Panthers have just $24 million in cap space, and with no Day 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, this is a relatively unattractive destination with almost zero security if the former Baylor man cannot get things going in the right direction.
McAdoo is from the Tom Coughlin coaching tree, which is something Rhule is also associated with. Although he failed miserably as head coach of the New York Giants, his work leading an offense played a leading role in his rise to prominence.
This is a sentiment echoed by Eli Manning, who was benched by McAdoo for Geno Smith during a disastrous run that eventually cost the coach his job.
"“It’s a good hire. It’ll be good for Sam [Darnold], or whoever the quarterback is, if they go in and buy in and match the commitment that I know Coach Mac will bring. We weren’t playing well [when he benched me], so tough decisions had to be made. We’ve talked through that process. There’s no hard feelings from my end over everything that happened.’’"
The stakes are high for Rhule, McAdoo, and the Panthers in 2022. One or two false moves with a tough schedule are all it might take for some substantial changes this time next year.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers players who should benefit most from McAdoo’s arrival in Carolina.