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Re-Focus: Training Camp Is Coming In Less Than A Week - An Offseason Guide & Review

Saca312

By Saca312,
in Carolina Panthers

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Saca312 Experienced

Saca312

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It's almost here. The moment everyone's been waiting for.

Football.

After a very exciting off-season and philosophy change, the Panthers look ready to pounce on everyone this year. With a roster constructed by the man Gettleman himself that appears to rival many of the past, it's hard to not get excited about what this team's potential is for this year.

Although recent events concerning our FO flusters have detracted ourselves from the present (and rightfully so), there should be very little to no repercussions towards the team and players themselves. While our seasons after this one are in question, I have no doubts that nothing stemming from this issue has affected our team going into the 2017-2018 season 

So, with that aside, the Panthers entering 2017 have a very stacked roster. With most depth taken care of and solid starters everywhere, this team on paper could be arguably one of our best overall teams ever in franchise history. With a dynamic offense that can pound defenses with size or demolish them with speed and finesse, Cam Newton looks ready to have one of his best statistical years yet.  Couple that with a defense boasting of one of the league's scariest front sevens alongside an up and coming secondary full of playmakers, and this team could go very far.

The Panthers have tooled themselves, evolved, and look ready for one big shot in 2017. It's hard to say when's the last time Panther fans have been this excited about our roster and going into a season with the guys we have.

With football season coming up comes Training Camp, an event where 90 hopefuls compete and train for a roster spot on the final team. Panther fans are able to get their first taste of what the team looks like going forward.

An eventful time that everyone can get excited about.

Training Camp begins exactly one week from now in the blazing Carolina heat, a grueling and trying time for anyone hoping to make this roster. Football activity and news comes flourishing as diehard fans hope to hear the latest about how each and every Panther fan is doing.

So, with that being said, I thought I should help review what we've done so far this off-season and catch everyone up on what we should be excited for:

Defense: An "Aggressive" Approach

The Panthers defense has been upgraded and retooled for the 2017 season. With new additions bringing experience and skill, to the remaining impact players bringing continuity and high level play, this defense looks ready to dominate. Add the fact former Secondary coach Steve Wilks is now our DC (Rivera's original choice before McDermott) and the expectations are sky high.

Concerning our overall defense, it looks really good. Daryl Worley and James Bradberry make a fine starting CB duo, and FS Kurt Coleman & SS Mike Adams are probably one of our best safety duos in franchise history (which isn't saying much, but still). Our front seven is nasty, with solid depth at DE, DT, and LB. Our starters are some of the league's best, and there's no doubt we'll be scaring teams soon.

A few things to highlight:

  • Panthers add DE Julius Peppers, CB Captain Munnerlyn, and SS Mike Adams via free agency
  • Panthers resign DE Charles Johnson, DT Kawann Short, DE Mario Addison, DT Kyle Love, DE Wes Horton, LB Ben Jacobs, & CB Teddy Williams
  • Panthers trade away DE Kony Ealy & 3rd Round Pick For Patriots 2nd Round Pick (used for T Taylor Moton)
  • Panthers draft DE Daeshon Hall & CB Corn Elder

Lots of action and excitement along that front.

Links Of Interest

Offense: An Evolution To The Next Level

Since January, the Panthers have been preaching about evolving on offense. It was a relatively new concept the Panthers have never underwent, as they've relied on the consistent deep-ball offense to compensate for vertical-oriented WRs. No one really understood how this evolution would take place until Gettleman showed his hand.

In free agency, Gettleman worked to attain LT Matt Kalil; A guy who underwent much needed hip surgery to fix his lack of explosiveness. To add on, he sought after WR Russell Shepard - a solid slot upgrade - and WR Charles Johnson, who's great depth as a deep threat. 

However, Gettleman's real work would unfold in the draft.

He went on to draft RB/WR Christian McCaffrey in round 1 - one of CFB's most electric playmakers - and SlotWR/RB Curtis Samuel in the following. He added promising OT/OG Taylor Moton & FB/TE Alex Armah. All these players have had diverse and versatile pasts, indicating they're well acquainted to be match-up problems wherever they're added.

Which answers the question concerning how the Panthers will evolve: by creating the NFL's most horrifying option offense.

The potential of this offense is staggering. Many ways to use these weapons to slice up defenses with Cam at the helm. There's no doubt this could be a top tier offense if executed right.

Links Of Interest

Panthers Staff Changes 

During the off-season, the Panthers management has undergone major shuffling as plenty of highly respectable people have gone through a lot of changes.

A few things to highlight:

  • DC Sean McDermott was given a promotional opportunity with the Buffalo Bills, taking on the position as HC. 
  • Panthers Secondary coach Steve Wilks was promoted to Panthers DC.
  • WR Coach Ricky Proehl retired from his position.
  • Former Panther WR Jericho Cotchery was hired to the position of Slot WR coach.
  • Stanford RB Coach Lance Taylor was given a promotional opportunity with the Panthers, taking on the position as WR coach.
  • Assistant GM Brandon Beane was promoted to GM of the Buffalo Bills. He originally was kept around Carolina as a "GM in training."
  • Panthers President Danny Morrison resigned
  • Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Fires Dave Gettleman. Gettleman boasts as being one of Carolina's most succesful GMs ever.
  • Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney has been signed as an Interim GM for the 2017-2018 season

A pretty crazy shift indeed. Won't comment on much here.

Cam Newton, His Throwing Shoulder, And Questions About Him Rebounding

Cam Newton. A lot of off-season discussion has been emphasized around him. Ranging from his NFL-worst completion percentage, all the way to his shoulder concerns, many wonder whether how he'll fare in 2017.

To put it simply, I think he's fine.

Just recently, Cam Newton went on his annual trip to Baltimore with his receivers. He practiced throwing to them for the first time since shoulder surgery, and no issues appear to have come out of it.

After all, we're talking about a guy who was chucking 60+ yarders even with a torn rotator cuff throughout last year.

For those concerned about his "poor performance" last year and point out Cam's completion percentage, don't worry.

Cam Newton is the 4th most accurate QB on all throws that go beyond five yards, trailing Andrew Luck, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers. His inaccuracy is a myth developed by an unreliable completion percentage statistic, which favors the short passers.

Cam Newton threw less than five yards on 32.43% of his throws; the least amount in the NFL. In comparison, Sam Bradford threw fewer than five yards on 62.13% of his throws. Bradford boasts having the best completion percentage of 2016, while Cam Newton was dead last.

See the trend?

Some will point to Cam Newton's accuracy numbers on the short throws as the reason the Panthers go deep so often. Cam Newton's 89.83 percent on throws behind the line of scrimmage (24th in the league) and 67.86 percent in the 1-5 yard range (32nd in the league) all appear as if Cam Newton's an inaccurate passer in that area.

While it is true Cam's not going to be a top 5 passer in the 0-5 yard range, he is not as bad as statistics make him out to be. When studying Carolina's receivers, it's a miracle that Cam Newton even had some short passing opportunities:

Quote

Newton’s receivers are big but they aren’t good. They don’t adjust well to the ball in the air and they can’t create separation. 59 times last year Newton threw an accurate pass only to have his receiver ruin the play. Only Aaron Rodgers lost more receptions to receiver error.

Newton played in an offense that was designed to push the ball down the field with linear receivers who couldn’t run shorter routes to get open. Throwing downfield was difficult, it is difficult in the best of conditions, but especially so because his receivers struggled to get open and he was constantly delivering the ball from condensed pockets. Throwing short was an even greater challenge because receivers such as Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess and Ted Ginn aren’t good at releasing from the line of scrimmage. Even Greg Olsen is largely just a vertical threat.

Without any true receiver that can play in the short passing game, Shula and Cam were handicapped. Forced to draw up deep passing plays to compensate for lack of talent, Cam Newton suffered. It was a pitiful sight with checkdowns rarely forming with collapsing pockets and short options being unreliable.

So, do expect our additions in the off-season to alleviate & help Cam Newton to the fullest.

Links Of Interest:

Final Notes

The Panthers are ready for a run in 2017. Nothing that happened this week changes that. Training Camp will be competitive and fun all around with so many talented players around fighting for a roster spot.

I stand by my original statement saying this could be a 13-3 or better team. Our team as a whole could give teams all around the NFL huge headaches due to the mismatches/skill-level we're at all around. With a dominant defense and a shifty offense, NFL teams aren't going to be able to handle what we're throwing at them.

The Panthers have had a very successful off-season. They put together a juggernaut that will challenge the NFL.

Get ready, and get excited. There's a lot of reason to be.

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