4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
By Dean Jones
Scott Fitterer - Carolina Panthers GM
Although they seemed to work well together, there must have been a real sense of relief from Scott Fitterer when David Tepper finally pulled the plug on Matt Rhule. His control of personnel was frustrating and held the team back, so the Carolina Panthers can feel confident their more traditional approach to recruitment can bring better fortunes moving forward.
Fitterer was complicit in Rhule's mismanagement if nothing else. Therefore, the front office figure was keen to stamp his own mark across the franchise this offseason and something he's done in an aggressive manner.
After some extreme persistence at the NFL Scouting Combine, a deal was struck with the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall selection. This gives Fitterer what he's always wanted - to draft and develop a college quarterback and build around a rookie deal in pursuit of entering Super Bowl contention.
This is exactly what the Panthers needed. And Fitterer deserves credit for acting with conviction in the hope of finally solving Carolina's complex riddle under center.
However, if Fitterer picks the wrong quarterback with the final say on personnel as part of a new collaborative approach, then the consequences are likely to be severe.
Everything is in place for the Panthers to slot in their new rookie quarterback. But one doesn't have to see what could unfold if their selection fails to meet some high expectations.