The Carolina Panthers encountered a tough road throughout the 2020-21 campaign as the NFC South franchise not only played in one of the toughest divisions in all of football but it was also ravaged by injuries from start to finish. In the team's inaugural go-round with first-year NFL head coach Matt Rhule, who was plucked by Carolina from the collegiate ranks, and a new starting quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, the Panthers finished the regular season at a disappointing 5-11 — though there is definitely some promise for this squad moving forward.
Of course, and most importantly, the Panthers will welcome back the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey in 2021-22, a running back that was tabbed as a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019-20. On the defensive side of the football, the Panthers have soon-to-be second-year defensive back Jeremy Chinn and an up-and-coming pass rusher in Brian Burns leading the way as this franchise has a formidable foundation to build upon ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
However, it is no secret that Carolina will need to continue to add to its core through the 2021 NFL Draft in addition to free agency. With tons of talent slated to become available on both fronts, the Panthers could turn things around sooner rather than later. Even though the 2021 NFL Draft is stacked with potential stars this time around, it will be key for the Panthers to land some veteran players on the open market in order to surround its young talent with seasoned players on the field and in the locker room.
Jonnu Smith, Tight End
In 2020-21, the Carolina Panthers went with Ian Thomas as the team's top tight end, certainly a position in which the franchise can improve. Luckily for the Panthers, one of the top all-around players at the position will be available this upcoming offseason as Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith is currently slated to become an unrestricted free agent.
Although the Titans will almost definitely attempt to re-sign Smith, Tennessee has a slew of pending free agents that may impede the team's ability to retain the standout tight end. If Smith does ultimately become available, the Panthers should pounce and quickly.
With the aforementioned Thomas only under contract for one more season, he is more of a viable back-up option at the tight end position as opposed to a true top dog. On the other hand, Smith could come in and hit the ground running with he and Thomas creating an interesting tandem for Carolina. Tight end Chris Manhertz served as Thomas' counterpart and back-up in 2020-21 and will become a free agent this upcoming offseason, paving the way for an upgrade at the position on the Carolina depth chart. Adding a player like Smith at the tight end spot would give Carolina the potential to be even more dangerous on offense as the team already employs more than a few talented players at wide receiver and running back.
Patrick Peterson, Cornerback
The Carolina Panthers must improve its roster ahead of the 2021-22 campaign as the NFC South will once again serve as one of the toughest groups in the league. With the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and reigning NFC Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers all inhabiting the NFC South with incredibly potent offenses, it is imperative that the Panthers up the ante on defense sooner rather than later.
With safety and linebacker hybrid Jeremy Chinn quickly becoming a standout among the team's defensive backs after just one season atop the highest level, the Panthers will also bring back cornerback Donte Jackson and safeties Tre Boston and Juston Burris in 2021-22. Veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas will become a free agent before the upcoming campaign as Carolina will need to fill this void.
The Panthers will have the opportunity to not only fill this void, but also upgrade its cornerback room as well. There is one name in particular that should be at the top of Carolina list as longtime Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson is gearing up to test the open market. Peterson needs to be on Carolina's radar, as such a move would do wonders for the team's defensive secondary while also adding a bona fide leader for Chinn and the rest of their squad.
Curtis Samuel, Wide Receiver & Running Back
One move the Panthers could make would be to lock up one of their own – Curtis Samuel. Because the injury bug plagued this roster, especially on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage this past season, head coach Matt Rhule was unable to truly unleash the talent that he currently employs. However, in the absence of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, others were able to shine and prove themselves to be more than reliable options for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The Panthers saw a trio of wide receivers breakout with the tandem of Robbie Anderson and D.J. Moore leading the way.
With both slated to return to Carolina in 2021-22, the third member of the trio in Curtis Samuel is about to become a free agent and could garner some serious interest from other franchises. Thanks to Samuel's ability to play both wide receiver in the slot in addition to lining up in the backfield at times, his uniqueness and unpredictability for opposing defenses makes him all the more dangerous and can be utilized in a variety of different ways — especially for a team like the Panthers that possesses talented wide receivers coupled with the presence of Bridgewater and McCaffrey. Although Samuel still wouldn't be a prominent figure on offense for the Panthers, he could still very well be a key piece of the puzzle for Rhule, who can get all the more creative with the soon-to-be free agent on the roster for 2021-22.
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