The Carolina Panthers won just five games this season, missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
The lack of recent success resulted in the firing of long-time head coach Ron Rivera, and now, Matt Rhule will get his chance to run the team.
In an NFC South that includes the New Orleans Saints, a declining Atlanta Falcons club, and a Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad that is impossible to figure out, the Panthers have a chance to rebound quicker than you may think.
So, here are three major needs for Carolina entering the offseason:
3. Offensive Line Help
The Panthers' offensive line didn't exactly do their carousel of quarterbacks any favors in 2019, allowing an NFL-high 58 sacks between Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, and Will Grier.
The Matt Paradis signing did not work out (at least not yet), and the remainder of Carolina's front either regressed or simply did not perform well.
I don't care who the quarterback is moving forward: you need a good offensive line to protect him, and the Panthers certainly do not have that right now.
And just imagine how much better Christian McCaffrey will be with more protection in front of him?
2. A Run-Stuffer
The Panthers did a good job of getting to the quarterback this year, racking up 53 sacks, which ranked second in the NFL.
But as far as stopping the run? They were a lost cause.
Carolina surrendered a whopping 143.5 rushing yards per game in 2019, which was good for 29th in the league. It also gave up a hefty 5.2 yards per carry, which ranked dead last.
The Panthers need to go out and get at least one guy who specializes in stuffing the run this offseason.
Carolina has some talent on the defensive side of the ball, but it obviously has a huge hole that opponents are going to continue taking advantage of until it patches it.
The Panthers aren't going anywhere until they develop some semblance of a run defense.
1. Determine the Quarterback of the Future
It seems pretty clear that Newton's time in Carolina is coming to a close. Even that's not 2020; it almost certainly is within the next couple of years.
That means it's time for the Panthers to identify their quarterback of the future, and I don't think Kyle Allen is the answer.
Will Grier? He may deserve a chance, but he was brutal in his pair of outings this season, throwing four interceptions without a single touchdown pass.
I'm not sure either Allen or Grier is the answer moving forward.
Say what you want about Newton, but up until the last couple of years where injuries have derailed him, the Panthers have been pretty fortunate to have him under center. Look at some of the other signal-callers around the rest of the NFL.
But with Newton having difficulty staying healthy and clearly declining, Carolina no longer has that luxury.
It's time for the Panthers to start thinking about the future, and based on comments from both Rhule and owner David Tepper, it seems the club is already doing that.
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