Carolina Panthers Roster 2020 Carolina Panthers Roster

Top 3 Panthers Roster Questions of 2019-2020

Is Cam Newton Truly 100% Healthy?

This is probably one of the biggest questions not only for the team, but for the entire league. A massive reason the Panthers collapsed down the stretch was due to the sudden downturn in Cam Newton’s play. Newton looked like he was having his best year since his MVP season, but a shoulder injury clearly hampered him down the stretch, and he missed the last game of the season. Newton had offseason shoulder surgery and according to the Panthers, is ready to play. Still, there’s plenty of reason for outside skepticism. A big reason there’s a lot of doubt is because of Cam’s troubling injury history. This isn’t the first time he’s suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery, so there are already questions about his shoulder’s durability. Couple in the fact that Andrew Luck just sat out an entire season recovering from a similar injury, you have a plenty of reason to worry for Cam. When healthy, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but if he’s hurt, the Panthers aren't going anywhere. The Panthers should be honest with themselves, and realize letting him play through an injury would be a mistake both now and for the future.

Is the Rest of the Panther’s Offense Good Enough?

Although most of the worry is reserved for Newton, there are still concerns for the rest of the Panther’s offense. Namely, is the supporting cast around Newton super bowl caliber? There are some pretty big positives; the Panthers offensive line has always been solid and will likely continue to be this year, and Christian McCaffrey appears to be a bonafide superstar. Greg Olsen when healthy is one of the league’s best tight ends and has a strong rapport with Newton. However, there are some problematic negatives as well. For one, Olsen hasn’t been healthy in a couple years, as he’s only played in half of the games possible for the last two seasons. The Panthers receiving depth is also lacking, as most of their receivers are either unproven or past their prime. The closest thing they have to a WR1 is second year player D.J. Moore, who had an encouraging rookie year with the team but has still never had a 1000-yard season. Overall, there are a lot of pros and cons for this Panthers offense, and the pendulum could swing either way depending on how much their young players grow and their injury luck.

What Will the Panthers’ Defense Look Like Entering the Season?

Although much of the attention is on the Panthers’ offense, their defense has some questions it needs to answer as well. For one, there appears to be a lot of moving parts and things up in the air right now. The starting free safety job is yet to be determined, and they have two defensive starters with contract negotiations they’d probably like to wrap up. Those starters are Shaq Thompson and James Bradberry, the team’s starting linebacker and cornerback respectively. The team has also reportedly started to shift from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-4 scheme, something that’s surprising considering how long Ron Rivera used the 4-3. The point is, there are a lot of things in flux for the Panthers’ defense, and a lot of things are likely subject to change. The defense may have some things set in stone, like Luke Kuechly’s starting position, but others are less certain. Hopefully the Panthers will get a grasp on the personnel and scheme they’re most confident in before the season starts.