Are the Carolina Panthers now a Superbowl Contender?

[FugAllY'all]

People need to remember that Reid has been playing in a poo tier defense for the last 3 years. Totally different story playing on a defense that's already pretty good. His job will be to not get beat deep and make plays on the ball when they are there. That's it. On the 49ers he had to fly around and make tackles left and right because they couldn't rush the passer or cover anyone. 

[Ricky Spanish]

Honestly? We're in the fight and that's all I can ask for.

 

Minny and LA's defenses are top notch but both are dealing with injuries/issues. If we can square our defense away, TD comes back, and fix the issue of teams running all over us and little pressure from the front 4, then yes, I say we have a real shot. 

My biggest concern is that we play in the toughest division in football and that any one of us will cannibalize the other, hurting our overall record, and knocking someone out of the playoffs. Reid is a definite upgrade and we need all the help we can get going against 3 of the top offenses in the league 5 more times across the season. 

So I'm optimistic, but not holding my breath because of the old any given sunday cliche. 

[UpstatePanther]

We were already contenders. 

I'll be disappointed if we don't make the NFCCG now.

[mc52beast]

Am surprised that the staff didn’t make him pass a physical and get him on the field for a workout.

[MechaZain]

45 minutes ago, Jeremy Igo said:

All of a sudden the secondary is a real strength. Paired with an offensive line that is performing well and a rookie tight end that looks like the gem of the draft...

 

Are the Carolina Panthers contenders?

They are always contenders with Cam at QB but yes. The holes in the roster have been present for years and the team's biggest obstacle. We might have lucked out and found the solutions to each of them. 

[KillerKat]

Funchess and Smith are keeping us from that and our ability to stop the run. If we can get better WR play and do better on defense, then yes.

[luke nukem]

2 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

Funchess and Smith are keeping us from that and our ability to stop the run. If we can get better WR play and do better on defense, then yes.

tick tock samuel clock.

[CPcavedweller]

I said we were a Super Bowl Contender in Preseason, based on our performance compared to previous successful seasons and their Preseason results. Other than Atlanta, the first few games have proven that. 

[OneBadCat]

Reid is a big boost to the defense but I still want to see the offense open up. Need to get chunk plays in the air again.

[Cpt slay a ho]

I think this puts us in the running, we have a lot of guys coming back later this year, that's fortunate compared to other teams injuries they sustained, honestly hope the team stays hungry and try and improve the roster as much as possible as the season progresses, this is a good signing but don't get content, there will be some other chances later in the season.

[Johnny Rockets]

All those months of rage about Hurney going to set the team back 10 years and now this. 

[Seltzer]

Too early to make a sweeping judgement, but unless Reid has suddenly lost his ability to play, and at 26 I doubt it, he is instantly the best safety on the field and fills the biggest roster hole.

There is nothing not to like about that.  With the emergence of Donte, we have a legitimate starting secondary.  We haven't had that since 2015.  That should make any Panthers fan happy.

[Shocker]

Yes definitely contenders, this move feels like highway robbery

[Carolina Cajun]

59 minutes ago, FugAllY'all said:

Look, the Rams, Eagles, and Chiefs are stacked, legitimately. I'd still take one of those three winning it all against the field. However, we can dance with them now, and if the injury luck plays out in our favor as the season goes on, who knows? This moment, right now, is most excited I've been about a Panthers team this early in the season. Ron and Norv better not fug this up.

Frankly, through all of this, our injuries have basically made us better.  Matt Kalil is out and we have a left tackle that atleast slows down people, and with Searcy going on IR we ended up with Eric Reid.  We have absorbed Daryl Williams injury well since Taylor Moton is a beast.  Only real bad injury is Olsen and we have Ian Thomas looking great and Olsen possibly coming back.  I would argue that our Injuries just may have made us better.