Carolina is incredibly thin on the edge, but one analyst doesn’t think they need to panic just yet.
The 2024 NFL season officially begins tonight, with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, hosting the formidable Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium. The Carolina Panthers will start their season on Sunday by facing their division rivals, the New Orleans Saints.
Despite the front office’s proactive efforts all offseason to address their needs, the Panthers still have several gaps in their roster as they enter Week 1. The most pressing concern is the edge rotation, which currently features Jadeveon Clowney and several uncertainties. This week, the situation worsened when the team let go of K’Lavon Chaisson to save approximately $ 2 million in cap space.
On a positive note, this move, along with the recent restructures of right tackle Taylor Moton and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle, has put Carolina back in a favorable position regarding the salary cap. According to Over the Cap, they now have about $ 5.9 million available for 2024.
This should give them enough flexibility to sign a starter to play opposite Clowney, which seems like an obvious choice on paper. However, opinions differ. Bleacher Report suggests that the Panthers don’t need to hurry into signing a veteran starter.
B/R: Panthers don’t need huge push for a starter:
The Panthers aren’t in a position to be serious playoff contenders, so there’s no intense urgency to bring in a veteran starter to address gaps. Plus, the front office made six waiver claims last week, the highest in the league, which means they’ve already brought in more young talent.
We might have to agree to disagree on this. The reality is they need to bolster their pass rush; otherwise, opponents may easily double-team both Clowney and Derrick Brown, effectively neutralizing Carolina’s pressure.
Unfortunately, at this late stage in the NFL season, their options are dwindling. Right now, the top names available for edge positions are Yannick Ngakoue, Charles Harris, and Randy Gregory.
– Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI –
Leave a Reply