6 major gambles the Carolina Panthers are clearly going to make in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers are gambling on rotational MLBs
Finding a long-term successor for Luke Kuechly has been a real dilemma for the Carolina Panthers since the iconic figure announced his retirement for health reasons after the 2019 season. Tahir Whitehead and Jermaine Carter both failed to become the heir apparent over the last two years, which has led the organization into a new method that might prove beneficial if everything clicks into place.
Instead of relying on one guy, the Panthers might end up going with a rotational approach featuring two free-agent signings that bring bags of experience. Carolina acquired both Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton over the first week of free agency, which is a gamble that could pay off in a big way when push comes to shove.
Wilson has the capability to assist on a two-down basis thanks to his extreme reliability against the run. However, one area where the player struggles is in coverage, which just so happens to be the one area of play where Littleton thrives.
Obviously, this is going against the grain, to a certain extent. But the Panthers have been forced into such drastic measures thanks to their incapability to find a genuine three-down interior presence under the current regime.
The one player they actually did acquire capable of doing this was Denzel Perryman, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in training camp and went on to make the Pro Bowl.