The Carolina Panthers are heading into the 2022 offseason knowing they need to make some changes. The team got off to a hot start in 2021, opening the season 3-0 before things quickly fell apart.
The team ended up finishing the season 5-12, as injuries and inconsistent performances from the quarterback position were their ultimate undoing. This is a team in a position to make a sizable leap during the 2022 campaign if they can fill a few holes on the roster.
Finding a quarterback is chief among them, but the team could also use some upgrades along the offensive line. They have spent a lot of resources in recent seasons improving the defense, but it is time for the offense to get some attention.
After losing six games by eight or fewer points, this isn’t a team far from being competitive. Will they be able to make the necessary changes this offseason to achieve that? Here are three bold predictions for the Panthers this offseason.
3. Stephon Gilmore Re-Signed In Free Agency
The Panthers have shown they are not afraid to flip draft capital for players. Last offseason alone they traded away picks for Sam Darnold, C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore. Of those three, Gilmore made the most impact on the team, but he is entering free agency.
Carolina should do everything in its power to make sure that Gilmore is retained. He would be an excellent person for the younger players in the secondary, such as Henderson and 2021 first-round pick Jaycee Horn, to learn from.
With the NFL as much of a passing league as ever, teams can never have enough cornerbacks. If the Panthers can develop Henderson and Horn, they will be able to take on bigger roles once Gilmore starts running out of gas in a few years.
2. Carolina Panthers Trade Back In First Round
Given all of the trades that the Panthers have made recently, they are lacking in some draft capital. In the 2022 NFL Draft, they own the No. 6 overall selection, but that is their only pick inside the top-100.
Given some of the holes on the roster, Carolina should seriously consider trading back in the draft. Their needs may not match up with who is available at No. 6, making them a prime candidate to move down the board and recoup some picks to replace the ones they have traded away.
While the Panthers could pull the trigger on a quarterback at No. 6, it would be smarter to build back up their draft capital. Depending on how far down the board they go, there is a chance that they will still be able to land one of the top passing prospects in this year’s draft class while adding more picks as a bonus.
1. Team Acquires Deshaun Watson
The Panthers will ultimately pass on a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft because they have their sights set on a much bigger prize at the position; Deshaun Watson. They were one of the teams linked to him the most last year, but his off-the-field issues put a wrench in those plans.
Those issues will take some time to resolve, so the Panthers will use the start of the offseason to upgrade the roster. But, once he gets things sorted out, the Houston Texans very well could make him available and the Panthers will pounce.
Carolina will put together an offer with multiple future draft picks and pry Watson from Houston, finally landing the long-term starting quarterback they have been searching a few years for.
