These weak spots on Panthers roster stand between Carolina reaching the next level
There have been signs throughout the 2020 NFL season that good things are to come for the Carolina Panthers.
It might not be this year, it may not even be next year. But there has been plenty to encouraged by from what Matt Rhule and his coaching staff have done with this team.
That was evidenced yet again in a 33-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9. A team the Panthers on paper had no business being competitive with for 60 minutes, but ended up being a game the 3-6 team was in until the very end.
The Panthers’ offense had one of its best games of the season and it was also the first game that coordinator Joe Brady called from the field instead of his typical box position. Coincidence?
“I think Joe (Brady) has been itching to be on the sideline. I know he says it’s much calmer up in the booth, but just having Joe on the sideline, his calm demeanor, he was always even-keeled throughout the course of the game; so that was good to see, that was good for me,” Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said. “We were able to communicate, instead of having to get on the headset, he’s able to see the game at field level, he was able to go down and talk to the offensive line, talk to the receivers and things like that.”
Christian McCaffrey played well in his first game back from injury. Bridgewater had a strong performance, including on the ground where he converted a fourth-and-14 play.
But there are also pieces missing on this Carolina roster. As the Panthers move forward, here are some areas that still need to be sorted out as the team continues the rebuild process.
Panthers need a pass-catching tight end
It’s easy it look at what Travis Kelce did it to the Panthers’ defense Sunday — to the tune of 10 receptions for 159 yards — and say that the offense could use someone like that. Of course they could, Kelce is one of the best tight ends in the league — if not the best.
But this group could use a pass-catching tight end that Bridgewater trusts throughout the field or use the ones they have differently.
Ian Thomas had two targets Sunday and one reception for eight yards, while playing 71% of the snaps. That’s about how his season has gone. In total, he has caught 11 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown.
The Panthers came into Sunday tied for 30th in the NFL in the fewest catches by tight ends (15). They ranked 31st in the league with only 22 targets for tight ends.
Thomas himself admitted last week that he would like to have more catches this season. The third-year tight end was given the opportunity as the next man up after Greg Olsen was released following a storied and dependable period in Carolina.
An offseason to work with Bridgewater would surely benefit Thomas and (mostly blocking) tight end Chris Manhertz. Bridgewater takes advantage of having dependable running backs to throw passes often. Against the Chiefs, McCaffrey and Mike Davis caught a combined 15 passes for 116 yards with only one target that wasn’t caught.
Having a dependable tight end would create another big-bodied layer to this offense. Maybe that’s on Brady to create more opportunities for Thomas, or Thomas showing Bridgewater he’s a trustworthy target.
The Panthers offense clicked Sunday and started scoring touchdowns instead of field goals. A dynamic pass-catching tight end would only help create more mismatches and opportunities, especially in the red zone.
Do the Panthers have the left tackle of the future?
This is less of an immediate need and more of something to keep an eye on.
This offseason the Panthers traded guard Trai Turner to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for Russell Okung. Turner has played in only one game due to injuries. Okung has played in five.
Okung missed a second straight game Sunday vs. the Chiefs with a calf injury. Last week against the Falcons, second-year tackle Greg Little started in his place but was pulled in favor of Trent Scott due to performance.
In Kansas City, last year’s sixth-round pick Dennis Daley got the start and played almost the entire game until Little came in when Daley left with an injury. Daley played 71% of the snaps, Little played 18% and Scott played 11%. Scott played the final drive of the game instead of Little.
“(Daley) got injured on that fourth-and 14 play (in the fourth quarter),” Rhule said Monday. “He came out of the game, was cleared to return, but, I think that (offensive line coach) Pat (Meyer) felt like the other guys were moving around better and didn’t want to put him out there when he wasn’t able to move at his best. So we went with the other guys down the stretch, I thought they both played well.”
Okung is on the final year of his contract. There are plenty of unknowns related to the cap situation next year and what money teams will have to work with. Little is continuing to develop, but he’s healthy now. The Panthers traded up in 2019 to acquire him, planning for him to be their left tackle of the future.
Daley getting the start and playing most of the game ahead of is telling, though, and shows that the coaching staff has areas it’s are looking for Little to improve in. This will be a pivotal development year for him while the Panthers will hope to get Okung back sooner rather than later after Bridgewater was pressured often from the left side vs. the Chiefs.
Other areas for the Panthers to address
Linebacker: No one was going to replace Luke Kuechly. We can say it again and again. Without Jeremy Chinn, the Panthers’ linebackers did enough at times Sunday, but were often overmatched. Shaq Thompson had only one tackle in the second half of the game after six in the first and undrafted free agent safety Sam Franklin was tied for the team lead in tackles with Thompson. None of that is ideal.
With Tahir Whitehead seeing less playing time, partly due to scheme, linebacker is a position that the Panthers will need to look at to support Thompson, who signed a four-year contract extension in December, and hybrid safety/linebacker Chinn.
Penalties: Even if some of the penalties weren’t the best calls, getting into the double digits in penalties is almost impossible to combat.
The Panthers’ 12 penalties vs. the Chiefs was only the ninth time the franchise has had 12-plus penalties in a game and tied for the fourth-most. It’s the second time this year the Panthers have had 10-plus penalties. That can’t continue.
Getting pressure: Defensive end Brian Burns is having a heck of a season and had three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss Sunday. But the Panthers only have nine sacks this year and quarterbacks have consistently been given significant time to work. That will need to addressed as the defense continues to develop.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 8:00 AM with the headline "These weak spots on Panthers roster stand between Carolina reaching the next level."
