The Carolina Panthers are heading in the right direction. General manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales have done a tremendous job so far, but the hard work is just getting started if they want to take the next step.
Carolina won the NFC South last season, winning eight games. They pushed the Los Angeles Rams extremely close before ultimately falling short in the wild-card round. The Panthers are much closer than at any stage during the David Tepper ownership era. There are also still some issues that could hold them back, despite another strong recruiting offseason.
Morgan and Canales will know where things stand and what more might be needed. Attention is slowly turning to the offseason program, and hopefully, the work will be put in to keep complications to a minimum.
With this in mind, here are three overlooked flaws the Panthers must fix to become real contenders in the near future.
Overlooked flaws the Carolina Panthers must fix to become real contenders
Tight end production
It was somewhat surprising to see the Panthers stand pat with their tight end options this offseason. Morgan hasn't lost faith in the options available, but Carolina is taking a big risk by holding firm in the hope someone breaks out.
Tommy Tremble is a blocker who flashes in the passing game. Ja'Tavion Sanders' projected breakout fell way short of expectations last season. Mitchell Evans still has promise, and James Mitchell will once again be fighting for his roster spot. They'll all get a chance to stake their claims, but the Panthers could still add another veteran to the unit.
Linebacker dynamic
The Panthers secured second-team All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency, which is going to help enormously. However, there are concerns about who will operate alongside him in Ejiro Evero's 3-4 defensive front.
Carolina waited until the seventh round to draft a linebacker. Jackson Kuwatch has some decent athleticism and is coming off a breakout campaign at Miami (Ohio), but asking him to log starting reps is unrealistic. Unless another veteran is signed, the Panthers will be placing their faith in Trevin Wallace finally putting everything together.
Explosive plays on offense
The Panthers need to generate more explosive plays on offense. Canales' scheme was accused of being conservative and predictable last season, especially in key moments. The head coach recognized this and passed play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik after two seasons.
Idzik's scheme will not be entirely different, but there should be a few notable tweaks that improve the chances of carving out yards quickly. The addition of third-round receiver Chris Brazzell II should help, but there is a lot of hard work ahead this summer to make it happen.
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