6 burning questions Carolina Panthers fans are asking after wild offseason
Carolina Panthers doubling up on wins
- Will the Carolina Panthers double their win total this season from last year? - Mickey G.
Great question, Mickey, and this is a great lead-off from Ed’s question about the regular season schedule. According to BetMGM, the Carolina Panthers' win total is set at 4.5. I feel very confident that they have a good chance of surpassing this tally.
General manager Dan Morgan made a focused effort to add to and improve the offensive side of the ball. He signed guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to long-term contracts while trading for wide receiver Diontae Johnson and drafting South Carolina playmaker Xavier Legette.
Not to mention, he drafted arguably the best running back in the draft in Texas ball carrier Jonathon Brooks, and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders in the fourth round.
The run defense also looks markedly better on paper if you understand the types of defenders the Panthers have in the front seven. Adding defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson, linebackers Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace, and pass rushers Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum should counterbalance the potential losses in the pressure department on the edge.
Based on the current schedule, I expect the Panthers to triple their win total. A 6-11 or 7-10 record would be a terrific improvement for this team.
New-look Carolina Panthers offensive scheme
- What should we expect our offensive scheme to be with this regime of coaches? - Ben F.
That’s a tough question, Ben. It’s hard to gauge what type of offense this team will be running in terms of scheme and overall philosophy. Just don’t expect this to be any variation of a Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay system.
Dave Canales has made it clear that he is quite stubborn in the run game. This is evident with who they signed in free agency plus their second-round draft selection of running back Jonathon Brooks. It should be expected that the Panthers will be a run-first offense.
This is a good thing considering the production from current lead back Chuba Hubbard and the play style of Brooks. Furthermore, it could help keep defenses honest in the intermediate and deep areas of the field for Bryce Young to attack.
It should also be pointed out that Canales has shown to work with his players' strengths to offset their weaknesses. Considering the current offensive personnel along with their pros and cons, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some variation of wide-zone with mixtures of power and counter run-game concepts.
In the passing game, expect to see motions, usage of versatile skill sets with Xavier Legette in the backfield, Ja’Tavion Sanders in the big slot as the F-move tight end, more utilization of RPOs, and passing concepts that attack the middle of the field. This is a strength of Young’s.
Once training camp comes around, we’ll have a better understanding of the type of offense Canales will run. However, the true reveal will have to wait until Carolina’s opening game at the New Orleans Saints.