Grading the 5 latest Carolina Panthers signings in 2022 free agency
By Noah Bryce
It’s been a busy period for the Carolina Panthers in recent days, with no fewer than five players joining the ranks in free agency.
The Carolina Panthers might have missed out on what some saw as the biggest prize of this free-agent period in Deshaun Watson. However, the team took that disappointment and used it as fuel for a fantastic day at the office on Friday, largely using resources that would have been sacrificed in any trade for the newly minted Cleveland Brown.
General Manager Scott Fitterer has, rightfully so, been derided for many of the decisions made last offseason, especially on offense. But, this second batch of free-agent signings by the Panthers has the makings of mending any bridge that has been broken and then some as far as the second-year front office figure is concerned.
There were clear needs for this team, clear holes to be patched, and for the first time in a good long while it seems like the organization is taking that seriously and making the necessary moves to have a winning organization.
Whether or not these moves stand up only time will tell. But on-paper, indicators point toward a more positive outlook for this season.
On top of this, the team has seemed to learn from their mistakes in a way that they have not been able to in recent memory, or are at least able to admit when they were at fault.
From offensive line to safety, this team had issues going into the offseason. Even at positions of supposed strength like wide receiver or defensive line, there were some gaping holes left by questionable releases or free agents departing Carolina.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at how the second batch of free-agent signings grades out when compared to the Panthers’ needs.