Bill Barnwell: Five Moves Panthers Should Make

[AppHeel]

Analyzes the entire NFC South:  http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/BarnwellxFiveNFCMoves2018/five-moves-nfc-team-make-2018-nfl-offseason-trades-free-agency-cuts-bill-barnwell

 

Carolina Panthers

1. Right the ship. The Panthers are organizationally paralyzed right now. Owner Jerry Richardson is selling the team. Interim general manager Marty Hurney has been placed on leave after being accused of harassment by his ex-wife and is unlikely to return. Hiring a general manager isn't a decision any team should rush, but the Panthers also realistically need someone capable of making decisions and running operations as they head into the offseason.

2. Convince Julius Peppers to come back (and then re-sign him). The future Hall of Famer produced a stunning season in 2017, racking up 11 sacks despite playing about half of Carolina's defensive snaps. While the sack total might overstate Peppers' impact, the only other edge rushers to top Peppers' total during their respective age-37 seasons are Reggie White, Chris Doleman and Kevin Greene.

Peppers did this on a one-year, $3.5 million deal, which makes his production even more valuable. The Panthers were able to extract a discount from Peppers, who is from North Carolina, went to UNC, and started his career with the Panthers, and they would be fools to pass up another season from the former second overall pick. The Panthers could double Peppers' salary to $7 million and still come away with a bargain.

3. Let Andrew Norwell and Star Lotulelei leave and receive draft-pick compensation. The Panthers already made their decisions along the line of scrimmage when they signed Kawann Short and Trai Turner to massive deals.

Carolina already has Turner and the Kalil brothers locked up to significant contracts along their offensive line, so while Ryan Kalil is expected to retire after this upcoming season, it's going to be tough to match the market for Norwell, who was a first-team All-Pro in 2017. The new GM could franchise Norwell and hope to re-sign him to an extension after the season, but the Panthers have needs elsewhere on the roster.

Likewise, Lotulelei hasn't developed into a fearsome pass-rusher, and Carolina likely expects to replace him with 2016 first-round pick Vernon Butler, who hasn't shown much over his first two seasons. Lotulelei could come back if his market doesn't develop and he has to settle for a one-year deal -- like Dontari Poe and Bennie Logan did a year ago -- but I would expect the former Utah star to find a multiyear deal elsewhere.

The Panthers should be in line to receive a third-round pick for Norwell and could end up grabbing a fifth-round pick for Lotulelei. With just $15.3 million in cap room and players to re-sign, Carolina would be smart to pocket the compensatory selections, target players who are released by their old teams, and use the money they have to retain players at other positions.

4. Work on an extension for Devin Funchess. Part of the calculus in trading Kelvin Benjamin was to hand a bigger role to Funchess, who stepped in as the No. 1 receiver and delivered his most productive season. The Michigan product is still just 23 and raised his level of performance despite playing through hamstring, toe and shoulder injuries during the 2017 campaign.

As a second-round pick, the Panthers have no way to offer Funchess a fifth-year option at the end of his rookie deal, meaning that the 2015 draftee will become a free agent after the 2018 season. If coach Ron Rivera believes that Funchess is going to be Cam Newton's top target for years to come, now is the time to offer Funchess an extension. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 6-foot-5 dynamo top the five-year, $34 million deal Robert Woods picked up from the Rams in free agency last season.

5. Pick up Shaq Thompson's fifth-year option. The former Washington standout took another step forward in 2017, and with Thomas Davisannouncing that he will retire after the 2018 season, Thompson should have a long future alongside Luke Kuechly at linebacker for Carolina. The Panthers can lock in Thompson through 2019 by picking up his option, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Panthers extend Thompson next offseason.

[bigdog10]

Unfortunately, I agree on the Norwell and Star piece.  We’ve dumped a huge amount of money in guard and DT already. Norwell will net us probably the highest compensatory pick available, while star will probably garner us an additional fifth (this is all assuming we aren’t big spenders in free agency). 

I’d add make a move for receiver to his list. I’d like to see us inquire about Bryant from Pittsburgh. I’d ship a fourth to them right now and let him play out next year on the last year of his deal. 

If we can’t land him, I would add a veteran receiver in FA. Not a big name but a reliable set of hands. 

[CanadianCat]

We are a small fish this year in the FA market. People need to lower their expectations. 

[Carolina Cajun]

There is nothing I disagree with there.  I've actually been thinking about how we need to extend Funch now.  I have a feeling that with his production after KB, extrapolated over a season is something to be excited about and he is still super young.  If we wait until after next season, we might run out of time for an affordable contract.  I also wouldn't mind us picking up a guard on day 2.  Norwell is great, but too many other holes for us to expend that kind of capital on him.

[Hotsauce]

My list:

1) Get a new owner

2) Get a new GM

3) Sign Norwell, let Star walk

4) Sign FA DB

5) Sign FA WR2

[Moose Hoover]

1. Start DA

2. Re-sign Deangelo

3. Re-sign Mare

4. Move stadium to Carowinds

5. Don't toucha somebody spaghet.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

It would be good to resign peppers if it's a bargain deal. 37 year old with a bum wing getting 11 sacks is pretty strong.  Can keep the DE spot strong while developing players and getting long term solution.  Has to be an economical deal though. 

[Chosen Newton]

1) Release Hurney. The fact that we havent released him yet proves we wanted him as our long term GM. Get out of this mess already. 

2) Get a damn owner already. Ultimately, they're gonna decide who our GM is. Combine and FA is near and we don't even know who our GM is and whether they have done any homework on prospects or not. 

3) Sign Norwell, let Star walk. Writing was on the wall for Star the moment we drafted Butler. We cannot let a top 3 guard go. Franchise tag him if anything. Plugging in a new olineman will not be as easy as plugging in a dlineman. Oline works more with chemistry than dline does.

 

-King Cho out ✌

 

[Ricky Spanish]

12 minutes ago, Moose Hoover said:

1. Start DA

2. Re-sign Deangelo

3. Re-sign Mare

4. Move stadium to Carowinds

5. Don't toucha somebody spaghet.

Yo

That's finna woke

[The Huddler]

It hurts me deeply but I agree on Star. 

 

KB and Star were my guys that i was stoked to get and they became my favorite players. as far as star, he simply didnt live up to the hype. Hes a good players and a great runstuffer, it makes sense to me money wise and rosterwise to let him go. We have Butler. And little money

 

sane in norwell. Dont have the money, and we have moton

 

i believe we will be a better team spending money elsewhere

[Untouchable]

Really hard to argue with that list.

[LinvilleGorge]

Funchess is a "dynamo"? Really? I think he's an okay starter, but a dynamo? No. It's insane to me that receivers the caliber of Funchess and Woods are getting that kind of money, but it's true.

[The Lobo]

Just now, LinvilleGorge said:

Funchess is a "dynamo"? Really? I think he's an okay starter, but a dynamo? No. It's insane to me that receivers the caliber of Funchess and Woods are getting that kind of money, but it's true.

Yes I don’t think he is a 1. He is a very good 2 wr. It is a must we get a 1 somehow this offseason.

[ericr0319]

If we do not resign Norwell, then we mine as well cut Kalil and really start to revamp the OL. Cut Kalil and resign Larsen for half his pay. Slot Moton in at G and pray we hit in that draft. 

Gives us money to pay some secondary players this year.