4 Christmas crackers from the Carolina Panthers 2022 season so far
By Dean Jones
Which crackers have emerged from what’s been another rollercoaster campaign for the Carolina Panthers in 2022 so far?
Christmas is always a time for family, for giving, and for reflection. The Carolina Panthers headed into the festive break on the back of a fantastic win against the Detroit Lions, which concluded their home engagements at Bank of America Stadium with two road contests to finish the campaign.
This has been another turbulent campaign for the Panthers. Some bright spots emerged, established figures departed via trade, and more questions than answers reside about the current franchise heading into an immensely important offseason.
What comes next for the Panthers will define their overall aspirations. It’s also going to determine once and for all whether or not David Tepper can adjust enough to successfully run an NFL operation.
Without further ado, to mark the festive season we picked out four Christmas crackers from Carolina’s eventful 2022 season so far.
Christmas Cracker No. 1
Carolina Panthers’ defensive foundation
It’s been inconsistent at times, but the Carolina Panthers have a solid core on defense they can mold into one of the league’s top units moving forward. The spine is where it needs to be, so the onus on those in power this offseason is putting the right pieces around their established stars in pursuit of taking that next step.
The likes of Brian Burns, Derrick Brown, Frankie Luvu, and Jaycee Horn are exceptional performers. There is also potential for further improvements with many others based on what’s transpired in 2022.
If the Panthers can extend Matt Ioannidis and bolster problem positions, the sky’s the limit for Carolina’s defense. A new coordinator potentially coming into the fold only adds to the intrigue.