Three things Matt Rhule wants you to know about the Panthers heading into the offseason
One day after a disappointing 33-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Panthers coach Matt Rhule finally had time to reflect.
The 2020 regular season, which was shaped by the coronavirus pandemic, was finally over. The Panthers finished the season 5-11, and own the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. And while Rhule said he was disappointed in the way the year ended — with their worst loss of the season — he seemed optimistic about the future.
“I can see all the positives that we did,” Rhule said. “I think if you put the positives up, a lot of good things happened that will benefit us in the future.”
The Panthers will enter the 2021 offseason with a number of needs they need to address, including who they’ll hire to be the general manager. Rhule called it the most pivotal offseason in Carolina Panthers history.
Here are three takeaways from his Monday press conference:
1. Panthers will address offense in draft
Last season, the Panthers became the first team in NFL history to use all seven of their draft picks on defensive players.
That likely won’t be the case in 2021.
Of the Panthers’ 21 free agents, 14 are on offense, including five offensive linemen.
“Offensively, we were a little bit older,” Rhule said Monday. “And as we enter the draft, we have to infuse a little bit of youth on the offensive side.”
Before this season, most people thought that the offense would carry the Panthers, whereas their young defense was supposed to struggle.
But more often than not this year, the defense looked better than the offense. That was the case in the Panthers’ 20-0 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 11, their 24-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 15, and their 20-13 win over Washington in Week 16.
The Panthers finished the 2020 regular season ranked No. 21 in the NFL in total offense, averaging 349.5 yards per game. They also ranked 18th in yards passing and 21st in yards rushing.
“I think we saw a defense that improved throughout the year,” Rhule said. “Offensively, we were good early, but we didn’t quite make the same improvements.”
2. McCaffrey did too much during rehab
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey admitted Monday that he may have done too much trying to come back from injuries that kept him out of much of this season.
McCaffrey suffered a quad injury during the Panthers’ bye week, and re-aggravated it in practice before the Panthers’ Week 14 game against the Denver Broncos.
He said he tried to play each week, but Rhule made the decision to sit him before the final game. Rhule said if McCaffrey had been healthy, he would have played him.
“I want to make sure I say that 1,000 times,” Rhule said. “But if you’re not quite there, and you trying to do everything too much to try and get there, if you’re not healthy, you’re not healthy.
“If he was 100%, running around, flying around, we wanted to win that football game, we would have played him.
“As I talk to Christian, I see the pressure he is putting on himself, I see all the things he’s trying to do...The last thing he needs to do is try to push himself too far and make it worse.”
McCaffrey suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 against the Buccaneers and was placed on the injured reserve list. He then suffered an AC Joint injury in his first game back in Week 9 against the Chiefs. Then came the quad injury during the Week 13 bye.
McCaffrey’s injuries won’t require surgery.
3. Re-signing some of their bigger stars may be tougher
For the first time since 2011, the NFL’s salary cap is expected to decrease because of the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. How it will impact contract negotiations and teams being able to re-sign players is unclear, but it will likely be a lot tougher.
The Panthers have 21 players set to become free agents this offseason, including wide receiver Curtis Samuel and right tackle Taylor Moton. Both had tremendous seasons.
Samuel set career highs in nearly every statistical category. He finished the season with 77 receptions for 851 yards and 200 yards rushing and five total touchdowns.
Moton was the Panthers’ best offensive lineman this year. He allowed three sacks and committed only two penalties in 1,032 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. The three sacks were tied for 28th-best in the league.
But both players, whose rookie contracts will expire, are expected to command large contracts — contracts the Panthers may not be able to afford because of the lower salary cap.
“I think across the league you’ll see people making really austere, difficult, financial decisions and we’re going to have to do the same,” Rhule said. “I think the biggest key for us right now, is making determinations about, ‘hey, who can we attempt to re-sign and can we re-sign them.”
“Dealing with this new salary cap is going to be unprecedented.”
Panthers re-sign Joey Slye
The Panthers announced Monday afternoon that they signed 14 players to future contracts for 2021.
Those players include:
▪ LB Daniel Bitul
▪ WR Ventell Bryant
▪ DB Sean Chandler
▪ WR Amara Darboh
▪ G Mike Horton
▪ WR Ishmael Hyman
▪ LB Clay Johnston
▪ WR Marken Michel
▪ G Aaron Monteiro
▪ LB Chris Orr
▪ DT Mike Panasiuk
▪ TE Giovanni Ricci
▪ C Sam Tecklenburg
▪ K Lirim Hajrullahu
The Panthers also signed kicker Joey Slye and tight end Colin Thompson through the 2021 season. Slye made 29 of 36 field goal attempts. His longest make was from 56 yards out. He was 1 of 6 on field goal attempts of 50 yards or more.
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Three things Matt Rhule wants you to know about the Panthers heading into the offseason."
