Teddy Bridgewater

4 Man Fix: Building a Winner For 2021

NFL Draft, Prime Cuts with Norris


By: 4MR Norris Thornburg

The disappointing 2020 season has ended and there’s a new General Manager in town. Free agency starts in a little over a month and fans are getting more excited about the aggressive approach of GM Scott Fitterer. Fitterer stated that he will be in the mix for all trade offers and free agent signings to build this roster into a winner. Needless to say, this Carolina Panthers roster will look a lot different in 2021. 

Even though COVID took fans out of the stands and lowered the overall league salary cap, there are still a few things that Carolina can do to improve the team. Some of these moves aren’t going to be flashy, but they need to be done to help push this team over the hump. Carolina being 5-11 and losing eight of those games by a score or less, isn’t going to cut it anymore for owner David Tepper. So what can Carolina do to improve their situation? 

RE-SIGN TAYLOR MOTON

Taylor Moton was the most consistent player on the offensive line this year. He’s slated to be a free agent when the new league year starts on March 17th, but Carolina can’t let him walk. According to Spotrac, Moton’s market value is $14.7 million per year. That sounds like a lot, but Fitterer can backload the contract or use incentives to make this a cap-friendly deal. If Carolina can’t get a deal done, they can Franchise Tag him but it won’t save any money, as the tag value is estimated at $14.5 million for offensive linemen. Either way, Moton can’t be allowed to walk. 

MAKE NECESSARY CUTS

This step is probably stating the obvious, but needs to be said. There are some players that could be cap casualties based on the lack of space the team currently has. According to Spotrac, the Panthers are projected to have $17,863,434 in salary cap space for this offseason. That’s not nearly enough to make any moves to improve the team. Especially if Moton gets tagged for $14.5 million. Here are some players that Carolina could cut to make room:

STEPHEN WEATHERLY

To say Weatherly was a disappointment would be an understatement. After signing a two-year contract for $12.5 million, Weatherly only played in nine games and had 17 tackles on the season. Weatherly should be the first player cut, as that would create $5.9 million in cap space. 

JUSTON BURRIS

Burris didn’t play bad, but the emergence of rookie Sam Franklin, who played really well as an undrafted rookie free agent, could make Burris expendable. Cutting Burris would save the Panthers around $3.8 million in cap space. 

KAWANN SHORT

This one may sting a little to Panthers fans. Short is a fan favorite and an all-around nice guy. The issue is, he’s only played five games in the last two seasons. The emergence of Zach Kerr opposite Derrick Brown makes this cut a little easier. As does the fact that cutting him saves the Panthers a whopping $13.2 million in cap space as a post-June 1st cut. If Carolina designates Short as a post-June 1st cut, they could still sign players and go over the cap and then they’ll get that $13 million on June 2nd. 

With these three cuts, the Panthers would save a total of $22.9 million and it would bring their total cap space to a little over $40.7 million. That is more than enough to sign key free agents at positions of need. The only drawback to these cuts are, it would create almost $9.4 million in dead money. The Panthers already have $9.1 million in dead money, so that would bring the total to $18.5 million. All of which should fall off in the 2022 offseason. Which is fine, because the league should have increased revenue in 2021 and the salary cap should go back to normal. So this could mean a large cap number next offseason. 

SIGN KEY FREE AGENTS

Every successful team has a smattering of key free agents that help the overall success. Now that the team has $40 million in cap space (in this scenario), they can sign a couple key players in positions of need. If Carolina tags Moton, they would still have around $26 million in space. If they sign him long-term, they could make the contract back heavy to help with space this year. Here are some players that the aggressive GM Scott Fitterer could target: 

JONNU SMITH

It’s no secret that the Panthers lack a true difference-maker at the tight end position. Smith is likely the top free agent at his position this year. He had 41 catches for 448 yards and 9 total touchdowns (1 rushing) in 2020. He’s basically a receiver playing tight end and a true red zone threat. Smith is also a very capable blocker. If Carolina signed him, fans should be ecstatic. 

HUNTER HENRY

Another tight end who would be a significant improvement. Henry had 60 catches for 613 yards and 4 touchdowns in 14 games. His injury history could make teams a little weary, but he’s still a stud at tight end. Henry might not make it to free agency though, as the Chargers want to keep as many weapons as possible for Justin Herbert. 

GERALD EVERETT

Everett is an athletic tight end with plenty of upside. If the Panthers miss on Smith and Henry, Everett would be a nice consolation prize. In 2020, he had 41 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown. He’s not a red zone threat like the first two players mentioned, but he’d still be an instant upgrade to Thomas. 

JAQUISKI TARTT

Yes, the team just released Burris to make cap room (in this scenario), but Tartt is a difference-maker on the back end. If Carolina wants more experience at strong safety, Tartt could be a target. He has good coverage skills in the middle of the field and is an aggressive tackler. 

CHIDOBE AWUZIE

The Panthers are in desperate need of an outside corner and there are a couple worth a look in free agency. Awuzie is young, has good speed and coverage skills. The injury bug bit him last year, so his contract may be fairly cap-friendly. 

PATRICK PETERSON

An obvious fan-favorite to land in Carolina, Peterson has done fairly well over the years. He was invited to eight straight Pro Bowls in his first eight seasons. He’s on the wrong side of 30 and has lost a step, but he’s still a premier corner in this league. He would bring a much needed veteran leadership to the defensive back room and fill a position likely vacated if Carolina doesn’t re-sign Rasul Douglas. 

JASON VERRETT

Verrett is also a name to watch if Carolina decides to fill the corner spot in free agency. The former first round pick has had a solid career and had a really good 2020 campaign. He will be 30 in June, but he hasn’t shown that he’s lost a step. Interesting note: Carolina held Verrett’s only private workout prior to the 2014 draft. 

WILLIAM JACKSON III

This would be an under-the-radar signing for the Panthers and would fill a need. In Cincinnati, Jackson had a decent season. He earned a 71.4 grade on Pro Football Focus and graded out well in coverage. The Panthers could also get him on a fairly team-friendly deal. 

IDENTIFY AND SECURE YOUR QUARTERBACK

Quarterback is the most important position on the team and it looks as though Carolina is in the market to find a new one. If this is the case, Carolina should identify their guy and try to get him. Deshaun Watson is definitely a target for Carolina, but the compensation would likely exceed what they’re willing to spend. 

Carolina made a move to get Matthew Stafford but Detroit decided to take the offer given by LA. Scott Fitterer said he is going to be in on every player and it seems as though he will be aggressive in doing so. That said, here are some options that the Panthers have at quarterback:

DESHAUN WATSON

While the compensation might be too much as stated above, Carolina is prepared to throw draft picks at Houston like they’re Oprah. There’s no doubt that Watson would turn Carolina’s offense into a winner if they win the bidding war for him. Watson led the league in passing despite having no weapons on a terrible team. He is a franchise quarterback and those don’t become available often. So if that’s who they want, they’ll find a way. Of course, it also comes down to where Watson wants to go due to his no-trade clause. 

RUSSELL WILSON

This week, Wilson and his camp basically announced that they’re tired of the team not placing enough emphasis on the offensive line. Now, it looks like they’re heading for a full-fledged divorce. A trade for Wilson seems even more unlikely than a Watson trade. Even though Carolina has a familiar face in Fitterer, who helped draft Wilson in Seattle, it doesn’t seem likely that Carolina would be in the mix. Although, they will inquire about him. 

SAM DARNOLD

Some people might like this, but others won’t. Darnold is a young quarterback with plenty of talent who went to a dumpster fire of an organization and was surrounded by little help. The former first round pick (3rd overall) is still only 23 years old and a change of scenery might do him good. Obviously he still needs to progress more, but the arm talent is there. If the Panthers gave up their second round pick and a future fifth, they’d get a potential franchise quarterback on a rookie contract. That would give Carolina more cap space to build a team around him. The team could also still get a superstar corner or left tackle at pick eight. Interesting note: A lot of scouts had a higher grade on Darnold than they do Zach Wilson. 

DAK PRESCOTT

Prescott is the only free agent on this list, and it’s because he’s the only available quarterback that’s worth signing. A lot of people don’t like Dak simply because he plays for the Cowboys, but there’s no denying his talent. Even with awful offensive line play last season, he was on pace for a record-breaking year before his injury. There’s not a throw he can’t make and he goes through progressions quickly. At age 27, he’s still young enough to be a franchise quarterback for another team. The only thing Carolina will have to give up is cap space. Dak turned down $35 million per year and bet on himself but then had a severe injury that likely cost him a few million dollars per year. If Fitterer backloaded the contract, it would be a little more team friendly for 2021. 

JUSTIN FIELDS 

Carolina could ultimately decide to trade up in the draft and take Ohio State product Justin Fields. Fields has a big arm, good pocket awareness, good field vision and good athleticism. He also has a high football IQ and is accurate on just about any pass. It would probably cost Carolina pick eight, as well as, either a 2022 first or a couple second rounders to move from eight to three. If they decide to go that route, fans should be very excited. Too many people are overthinking Fields’ struggles against Alabama. Don’t do that. The guy is a stud. 

TREY LANCE

Lance is the fourth best quarterback in the draft with potentially the highest ceiling. He’s a little raw and there isn’t any recent film because North Dakota State opted out of the 2020-21 season. Lance is a little raw but he has really good traits. In 2019, he set an NCAA record for most completions without an interception (287), so he has really good accuracy. Lance has good awareness, good arm strength and never panics when the pocket collapses. Carolina could may be able to get Lance at pick eight, but it’s more likely they’ll have to move up to pick four. 

TEDDY BRIDGEWATER

Carolina could elect to let Bridgewater start in 2021 and build the trenches in the draft. Bridgewater is a good starting quarterback and could use a little more protection. Plus, the draft class next year has a few good quarterbacks, so you can build the line in the draft this year and get a quarterback in the draft next year. It would work well for your rookie quarterback to have a solid offensive line. 

WHAT TO DO WITH TEDDY

First and foremost, we here at 4 Man Rush really like Teddy Bridgewater the person and player. Yes the team struggled at times and even Teddy would admit that he could be better, but he made some really good plays last year too. That said, if the Panthers are ready to move on from Teddy, they need to do right by him and trade him to a team that needs a starting quarterback. 

Taking a look around the league, there are several teams that may need a new starter. Two teams in particular that may be looking are two teams he’s very familiar with: Minnesota and New Orleans. Rumors are swirling that Kirk Cousins is being targeted in a trade by San Francisco, so Minnesota could be in the market. Teddy is beloved in Minnesota and would welcome him back with open arms. New Orleans is also a logical choice after Drew Brees’ retirement. Bridgewater won five games in Drew’s absence in 2019 and the Saints would like him back as well. 

Minnesota has two third round picks and four fourth round picks. New Orleans only has four picks in the entire draft this year. One of which is a third round compensatory pick they will receive for losing Teddy last offseason. Carolina would likely take a third round pick for Teddy if they’re truly ready to move on. According to Spotrac, the team would incur $10 million of dead cap, but would save $12.9 million in cap space this year. They would also incur $5 million dollars in dead cap space in 2022 but would save $21 million in cap space next year. The dead cap would fall off the following year. 

GET A LEFT TACKLE 

There’s two things that need to happen along the offensive line: Retain Taylor Moton, which is mentioned above, and find an answer at left tackle. Whether that be through a trade, or the draft. There aren’t really any young, quality left tackles in free agency this year. Cam Robinson is a free agent but he struggled this year. Here are a couple of options at left tackle:

PENEI SEWELL

If Carolina decides to either keep Teddy or trade for Darnold, they may elect to trade up a bit for Sewell. Wouldn’t be a bad idea since Sewell is an absolute beast and has no weaknesses in his game. Sewell would provide consistent left tackle play for 10 years with Carolina. 

RASHAWN SLATER

Carolina could also decide to trade back and gain some picks while adding a solid left tackle prospect. Some scouts are pegging Slater as a center or guard, but he should be successful at the tackle position. Adding a player with such position flexibility is right up Matt Rhule’s alley. 

LIAM EICHENBERG 

Carolina could go with a second round tackle and still have a solid starter in Eichenberg. This is one of the more underrated offensive linemen in the draft and is a plug-and-play starter at left tackle. If Carolina goes quarterback in the first, Eichenberg fits the bill as a franchise left tackle. 

ORLANDO BROWN

Brown moved from right tackle to left tackle after an injury to starter Ronnie Staley. Brown excelled at the position and even earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020. Its hard to say what kind of compensation the Ravens want for Brown, but the Panthers will definitely call to check. It’ll likely be a first rounder or two second rounders. The team would have to extend his contract, but it wouldn’t go into effect until next year when Carolina has a lot more cap space. 

If Carolina can do these things, they will be well on their way to being a contender. They are getting a head start compared to the rest of the division. The Falcons’ Ryan is getting older, Drew Brees of the Saints retired and Tom Brady is on his last leg in Tampa. Keep in mind that some of these players will be re-signed by their teams. However, other good players will be cut by their teams to make cap space more than ever before. Either way, the future looks bright in Carolina. 

Week 3 Predictions vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Vince's Vindications


By: Vince Holmes

A slow start to the Rhule Era of the Carolina Panthers to start the season. Untimely injuries and inconsistent play among other things have contributed to the Panthers 0-2 start for this season. While it hasn’t been all bad for the Panthers, the players have been able to compete enough to be in position to win both games. I predict more of the same for this young and inexperienced team and coaching staff. Here is why I believe the Panthers will fall short yet again despite putting forth a valiant effort.

Injuries

The 2019 NFL OPOY RB Christian McCaffrey has been put on IR for at least the next 3 weeks and facing a stout defense without your best player is always tough. McCaffrey has been the lifeline of the Panthers offense for the last 2 seasons and adjusting to life without McCaffrey will be tough against this stout Chargers defense. Final score prediction is:  Carolina 20 Los Angeles 24.

Key Matchups

RT Taylor Moton vs. the pass rush edge duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram will be key if the Panthers want to win on Sunday. This matchup also is key for Moton off the field as he seeks his first long term deal. Handling Bosa and Ingram would be a good start to him getting a new deal.

Rookie QB Justin Herbert makes his 2nd NFL start against a struggling Panthers secondary. Herbert will be making his 2nd start but this week will be his first, preparing throughout the week as a starter. I expect Herbert to be confident and well prepared to spread the ball around to his weapons on Sunday and build off an impressive start from last week vs. the defending Super Bowl Kansas City Chiefs.

Players To Watch

Rookie RB Joshua Kelly has been impressive early in this season. A struggling Panthers run defense will have it’s hands full slowing him down and his running mate RB Austin Ekeler. Neutralizing both of these players should be priority #1 for Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow and company.

RB Mike Davis is getting the start for the Panthers. For the last two seasons the offense has run through McCaffrey. I’m interested to see how Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady uses Davis on Sunday and how that impacts the overall offense. If Davis can provide a semblance of a running game while contributing in the passing game, it bolds well for Brady and the offense to put up points on Sunday.

A Look Ahead: Buccaneers

Game Breakdowns, Prime Cuts with Norris

Panthers 
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Buccaneers 
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Well, that’s not the way fans wanted to start the Matt Rhule Era. There were some things to like about the team (mainly on offense), but there were also some things to work on. The Carolina defense looked lost at times, but you’ll have that when there is so much inexperience. Tampa, who also went through some changes in the offseason, started off with a loss too. It was an odd week one to say the least, as most stadiums didn’t have fans in the stands to help swing momentum. Here’s a look ahead to the Bucs:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Head Coach

Bruce Arians

Offensive Coordinator

Byron Leftwich

Defensive Coordinator

Todd Bowles

Key Acquisitions

QB Tom Brady

RB Leonard Fournette

TE Rob Gronkowski

Key Losses

QB Jameis Winston

RB Peyton Barber

WR Breshad Perriman

Key Draft Picks

OT Tristan Wirf

S Antoine Winfield Jr. 

The Bucs’ offense looks a little different this year. They signed Tom Brady and Leonard Fournette and traded for Rob Gronkowski. Tampa didn’t get off to the best start, but neither did Carolina. The Bucs drafted one of the best offensive tackles in the 2020 draft, and one of the best safeties as well. 

Carolina Panthers

Head Coach

Matt Rhule 

Offensive Coordinator

Joe Brady

Defensive Coordinator

Phil Snow

Key Acquisitions

QB Teddy Bridgewater

WR Robby Anderson

LT Russell Okung

G John Miller

G Michael Schofield

LB Tahir Whitehead

CB Rasul Douglas

S Juston Burris

CB Eli Apple

KR Pharaoh Cooper

Key Losses

QB Cam Newton

DT/NT Dontari Poe 

LG Greg Van Roten 

K Graham Gano 

TE Greg Olsen

LB Luke Kuechly

DT Gerald McCoy

CB James Bradberry 

S Eric Reid

G Trai Turner

Key Draft Picks

DT Derrick Brown

DE Yatur Gross-Matos 

S/LB/N Jeremy Chinn

CB Troy Pride Jr. 

There has been more turnover on this team than any other team in the league. From coaches, to scouts, to players….This is an entirely different team. Carolina used all of their 2020 draft picks on defensive players, which is where most of their issues lied. 

Things to Watch

Carolina Panthers

Teddy Bridgewater played well for the Panthers, as he amassed 270 yards and a touchdown, with a quarterback rating of 98.9. Bridgewater will have his hands full on Sunday against the Tampa front seven, who was able to rush Drew Brees some on Sunday. Teddy does a good job of eluding pressure and stepping into the pocket. If he continues that, he should be able to take advantage of the Bucs and their lackluster secondary. Let’s hope the offensive line can hold off the Tampa pass rush. 

Christian McCaffrey started the game off slow on Sunday, but managed to get 134 total yards and 2 touchdowns against the Raiders. There’s no doubt that McCaffrey is still the best running back in the league. Last year, Tampa’s defense held McCaffrey to 110 total yards and 2 touchdowns in two games. That’s amazing when you consider he had a record breaking season. With Tampa’s front seven in-tact, the Bucs could give CMC some fits. Look for Joe Brady to get McCaffrey involved heavily in the passing game. McCaffrey should see some screens, intermediate sideline routes and possibly a deep throw or two so that he can take advantage of Tampa’s secondary. 

The Panthers have one of the fastest wide receiver trios in the league and that was put on display Sunday. Robby Anderson has a 75 yard touchdown from Bridgewater in the fourth quarter to take the lead and then capped it off with a successful two-point conversion. Fans shouldn’t worry about the offense, as they will likely get even better as the season progresses. People don’t realize how much the preseason reps are needed for an offense to sync. Especially in a year where a team has a new coaching staff, new quarterback and three new offensive linemen. Moore, Samuel and Anderson should get ample opportunities to gain separation and get a lot of yards. They must capitalize on a weak Tampa Secondary. Also, look for Carolina to get Ian Thomas involved more, as Tampa had issues shutting down Jared Cook last Sunday. 

Looks like the Carolina defense picked up where they left off from last year…..and that’s not a good thing. Josh Jacobs ran for 93 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Panthers, while Derek Carr added 239 yards and a touchdown through the air. Carolina also had no sacks or hurries on Carr, which is unheard of for a Panthers’ defense. To be fair, this is basically a new defense with a few rookies. Even though the stats aren’t there, Derrick Brown had a good game. Jeremy Chinn flew around the field and had 7 solo tackles in his NFL debut. Troy Pride Jr. played pretty well Sunday, too. He had good coverage skills but he needs to turn his head and look for the ball better. He was in perfect position to intercept that touchdown pass had he just turned his head. Pride definitely outplayed his draft position. 

Not all is bad about the defense, though. Jacobs didn’t break off any big runs and he only averaged 3.7 yards per carry. Teams last year averaged 5.7 yards per carry against Carolina. There was a lot to like about this young defense, but also a lot to work on. Kawann Short struggled against times, but he’s coming off a two game season and shoulder surgery with no preseason to get conditioned. He will get back to his form. Look for Phil Snow to incorporate a few defensive wrinkles to create pressure on Brady. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Tom Brady struggled throughout the first half against the Saints, but started to get into a rhythm as the game wore on. Brady has some weapons to work with, but his offensive line looks a little shaky. 

Tampa has two very good running backs in Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. Jones will get the start, but Fournette will likely get a few carries this week now that he’s getting acclimated to the offense. They should have some success against the Panthers’ defense. 

The Bucs have a really good receiving group in Godwin, Evans and Scotty Miller. They also have 3 solid tight ends in Gronkowski, Howard and Brate. Look for Brady to try and expose rookie Troy Pride Jr. and also veteran Tahir Whitehead, who struggled in coverage. 

The Tampa defense has a strong and fast front seven who can stop the run and rush the passer. Their secondary struggled last week at times and will need to get to Bridgewater if they want to have a chance. 

Keys to a Carolina Victory

• Get McCaffrey involved heavily in the pass game. Try and establish the run game with CMC and Mike Davis. Tampa only allowed 82 yards rushing last week, but Carolina still needs to let McCaffrey run. He’s a volume runner. Eventually he will break one or two runs off. 

• Protect Teddy. Bridgewater does well under pressure and steps into the pocket, but the offensive line needs to do their best to keep Teddy clean so he can expose the Tampa secondary. 

• Protect the ball. No turnovers!

• Contain Scotty Miller. Brady loves the small slot receivers and will likely feed the ball to Miller. 

• Maintain gap discipline on defense. Also, set the edge. Can’t let Tampa break off runs on the outside or through holes. 

• Utilize the receivers’ speed. Carolina has three wide outs that can take the top off the defense and gain separation. Go after the Tampa secondary. 

• Win the time of possession battle. The offense needs to sustain long scoring drives to keep the defense fresh and take the pressure off of them. 

• Get pressure and hurry Brady. It should be easier this week against the Tampa offensive line. 

Key Matchups

• McCaffrey VS Buccaneers defensive line

• Bridgewater VS Buccaneers defensive line

• Pride Jr. and Douglas VS Evans and Godwin

• Carolina’s pass rush VS Brady

• Carolina offensive line VS Tampa’s defensive line

Injury Report

Carolina

DT Kawann Short OUT

DE Yetur Gross-Matos OUT

G Dennis Daley OUT

Tampa Bay

WR Chris Godwin DOUBTFUL

TE Anthony Auclair OUT

Prediction

You can never discount Tom Brady, even at 43 years old. Once he gets into rhythm, he’s hard to beat. However, there’s a possibility he may be without his top receiver, as Chris Godwin is in concussion protocol and will need to clear it if he wants to play. Carolina will come out with a solid game plan and pull out a 35-29 victory in Tampa. McCaffrey will get 160 total yards and 2 touchdowns. DJ Moore will have 110 yards and a touchdown. Robby Anderson will also have a touchdown. Carolina’s defense will get their first sack of the year and end the game with 4 sacks. Troy Pride Jr. will get his first career interception.