The Panthers might have made the playoffs last season, but in a similar way to when they made it in 2014, it never felt as if they were up there with the best teams in the NFL. This isn’t because the Panthers didn’t play well for large chunks of the season, or that they didn’t have a number of highly talented players – instead, it was because in a number of key games, they not only lost, but looked as if they weren’t on the same level. Not being one of the top handful of teams in the NFL isn’t something to be ashamed of, but it would have felt something of a stretch to have labeled the Panthers as ‘contenders’ as they entered the playoffs last season after the amount of injuries they suffered and their level of play heading to New Orleans.
However, there is an awful lot to be optimistic about for Panthers’ fans in 2018, and while they might not be getting the media love of teams like the Eagles, Patriots, Jaguars or Saints, there are at least five reasons for Panthers fans to believe that this year could be the one. Let’s take a look at them – it starts with one.
Cam Newton
While the degree to which the NFL is really a QB-driven league is sometimes overstated, having an elite quarterback will always give a team a significant advantage; and Cam Newton is unquestionably an elite quarterback. Despite the Panthers offense stuttering at points over the past two seasons and playing through a not-insignificant shoulder injury, Newton has continued to produce at a historically elite level. The only players to have scored more touchdowns through their first eight seasons are Peyton Manning, Dan Marino and Brett Favre; Newton has only played seven seasons. Any argument that Newton isn’t among the very best to ever play the position at this point in his career is simply an abject denial of the available evidence.
What his talent means in terms of the Panthers’ championship ambitions should be clear: if surrounded by a reasonable amount of talent and in an offense that maximizes his talent without asking him to carry the team on his shoulders week after week, Newton should be able to orchestrate the kind of dominant offense that Panthers fans got used to back in 2015. If he can combine his deep passing ability, remarkable escapism and improvisational ability with a passing attack that looks to stretch the field both vertically and horizontally to open up space, the Panthers will be a threat to beat anybody on any given Sunday.
2. Deep Surrounding Talent
The Panthers might not have the star names that some other offenses posses at the skill positions, but what the Panthers do have – and what they have so sorely lacked for much of Cam’s time in Carolina – is a depth of talent to challenge almost anybody. Last year’s combination of McCaffrey, Artis-Payne, Funchess, Samuel and Byrd all return with another year of experience under their belts, with Greg Olsen’s return coming with the added bonus of seemingly good health. While Jonathan Stewart finally moved elsewhere this offseason, CJ Anderson looks to be provide a marked improvement at this stage of their respective careers, and certainly offers an improved option in the passing game; similarly, the loss of Ed Dickson appears to have been more than covered for by the drafting of Ian Thomas, who has been extremely impressive thus far in the preseason. Additionally, the Alex Armah of 2017 has returned, though with a potentially much expanded usage; building upon his excellent blocking from a year ago with the expectation of occasional carries and receptions either from the backfield or as a in-line tight end should expand his role moving forward
To this already impressive group the Panthers have added Torrey Smith, Jarius Wright and DJ Moore, and while this will hardly come as news to most Panthers fans, the significant of these additions cannot be overstated. Jarius Wright and Torrey Smith combine to give the Panthers the veteran leadership, deep threat and underneath possession skills that they haven’t had since the combination of Jerricho Cotchery and Philly Brown; though even this likely pales in comparison to the value of Wright and Smith. While expectation of Moore’s production as a rookie need to be treated with care as, like most rookies, he will undoubtedly have some growing pains, he undoubtedly has the potential to have an immediate – if inconsistent – impact.
Bearing in mind that Cam Newton has taken receiving corps comprising of players named Domenik Hixon, Tavarres King, Marvin McNutt, Brenton Bersin, Kevin Norwood, Russell Shepard, Mose Frazier, Brenton Bersin (again) and Kaelin Clay to the playoffs, this is undoubtedly the most talented group that he has had around him thus far, and it should only be expected that his play will be elevated as a result.
The other benefits that this depth of talent bring to the Panthers is something of an immunity from injury, as well as an ability to rotate players – thereby allowing them to stay fresh and to be used to best maximize their particular skill sets. While fans may often speak about how many receptions or carries a team gives to a player, in reality, this is often dependent on how the game plays out and what the defense does to counter any given player; over the course of the season, this depth of talent should allow for a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ approach that teams such as the Patriots, Eagles and Saints have used to great effect in recent years.
Up Next: Three More Reasons You Should Be Excited
