5 ambitious goals for the Carolina Panthers 2022 offseason period

Carolina Panthers find the next Luke Kuechly

This is something the Carolina Panthers have been trying to do ever since Luke Kuechly, who quite possibly could have been the best to ever play the game, shocked the NFL world by retiring squarely within his prime.

There have been a couple of experiments to date, neither of which provided the type of results the team was searching for. But replacing a generational talent like Kuechly was never going to be easy.

Last season the team turned to Jermaine Carter Jr. to be that guy and the young linebacker just did not perform up to the required standard against either the run or the pass. Even with a resurgent Shaq Thompson alongside him.

Finding the quarterback of the defense is a top priority because no matter how good the team is around them, not having that leader in the middle will drag the whole down to their level.

However, this is a very weak free-agent class for linebackers and the best of the bunch is probably Leighton Vander Esch, who has been a solid starter but never quite lived up to the hype. With the emergence of Micah Parsons, there might not be enough room for the first-time free agent and that could give just the right opportunity for the Panthers to swoop in.

If this team wants a quick fix they will have to find a true diamond in the rough or hope for a career year by an underperforming veteran. Someone like, I don’t know, Denzel Perryman. But I digress.

While finding that guy in free agency would be the steal of a lifetime, the best place might end up being in the draft. Only time will tell whether or not the Panthers can find another Kuechly.