Welcome to our offseason series detailing the Panthers offseason needs and how they might address them. Be it through the draft, free agency, or the answer being “on the roster”, the Panthers will need to fill holes all across their roster to field a full 53 heading into 2018. No matter how set the Panthers may seem at a position, there is no reason why the Panthers can’t constantly get better; that will start with an open and honest evaluation of who is on the roster currently, how they performed in 2017 and whether those players will be returning.
Previously, on “Evaluating The Cupboard”:
- Quarterbacks: Will Derek Anderson be back? Is Garrett Gilbert the future backup?
- Wide Receivers: Is a trio of Devin Funchess, Curtis Samuel and Damiere Byrd enough? Or is it just a good start?
- Running Backs: Will Jonathan Stewart become a cap casualty? Is Cameron Artis-Payne due for a bigger role?
- Cornerbacks: Should the Panthers be content with their young core? Was their talent hurt by Steve Wilks’ blitz-heavy scheme?
- Tight Ends: After Olsen missed over half of the 2017 season, will Manhertz or Dickson be back on the roster? What’s Alex Armah’s role?
- Offensive Line: With 2018 being Ryan Kalil’s last season, did Tyler Larsen prove he’s the center of the future? Can Moton be a starter?
The Panthers’ linebacking group has been the core of the defense ever since Luke Kuechly was drafted with the ninth pick back in 2012. Thomas Davis has shown some signs of deterioration and is entering the final year of his career as a thirty-five year old and is likely to take a reduced role next year, but the Panthers will still enter 2018 with one of the strongest linebacker groupings in the NFL. But is there any prospect of change in the Panthers’ linebacker corps in 2018 or will it be more of 2017?
The Trio
Luke Kuechly is arguably the best inside linebacker in NFL history. In 2017, he had over 100 tackles for the sixth season in a row, as well as 1.5 sacks and three interceptions; furthermore, having suffered concussions in recent years, he managed to start 15 of the 16 games, with the help of a new ICP-regulating collar. While there are still areas where Kuechly could improve even further (he can sometimes be somewhat overaggresive in pursuit), the Panthers should have no concerns here as long as Kuechy remains healthy.
Thomas Davis and Shaq Thompson have all the athletic traits desired in outside linebackers; even if Davis is ready for retirement. The Panthers didn’t use the pair as effectively as might be possible this past season, over-emphasizing man coverage and blitzing on passing plays, but that falls upon the coaching more than the players in question. In terms of Thompson, the Panthers should certainly look for him to start taking snaps from Davis in what will be the veteran’s final season, with a view towards having him take on Davis’ role full-time in 2019. Davis’ spot could potentially be at risk if the Panthers’ cap situation becomes extremely severe, but in all likelihood the Panthers will look to make the most out of his final hurrah.
All three of these players are under contract next year, and there is almost no chance the Panthers will expend significant assets on a linebacker this offseason. However, should Thompson take over Davis’s role after the season, the Panthers will need to have some ideas about who will step up into the third linebacker role after the 2018 season.
The Other Guys
David Mayo seems to have emerged as the replacement for AJ Klein in terms of being the primary backup linebacker on the roster. While Mayo hasn’t quite played at Klein’s 2016 level, he is certainly one of the better fourth linebackers in the NFL; the best part is, the 2015 fifth-round pick is still developing. The question that should arise from this is whether the Panthers see him as a potential future starter or simply a premier backup; how the Panthers view this situation could well determine how they approach the position this offseason. If Mayo isn’t going to be the replacement for Davis, then who is?
Jared Norris and Ben Jacobs are both under contract next season for roughly a combined $1.5 million; while the pair are both good special teams contributors, neither of them stand much chance of developing much further at this stage. If the Panthers have no aspirations for this pair other than their special teams contributions, these two will likely return; if not, it would not be a surprise if the Panthers looked to add somebody who, while able to contribute on special teams in the short term, could compete to replace Davis after the season.
Outlook
Kuechly, Davis, Thompson and Mayo will all return next season; beyond that, the future is a little on the cloudy side. The Panthers should at least be considering how to replace Davis after next season; if they think they have the chance to add a special teams contributor who can develop into a starter for 2019 cheaply, that may be on the table, as could a late-round draft investment. However, if the Panthers have confidence in Mayo stepping into Davis’s role in 2019, this position could return as-is.
