Super Bowl LVII was less than a month ago, but all eyes are now looking ahead. Rebuilding organizations will soon be very busy, so let's make some Carolina Panthers bold predictions for the 2023 NFL offseason.
The Panthers finished 7-10 and second in the NFC South in 2022, marking the fifth straight year they missed the playoffs. However, with Tom Brady retiring, the battle for the NFC South seems wide open going forward.
Carolina is entering the offseason $4.2 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac. With nearly 20 pending free agents, the front office could have a tough time building the roster for the upcoming season.
Now with Frank Reich as their head coach, the Panthers should start a new era, but it will also depend on what they do over the next few months. With that being said, here are four bold predictions for Carolina as the 2023 offseason begins.
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4. Panthers waive Shaq Thompson
With such a tough financial situation, Carolina might need to make some tough moves to clear cap space. One way it could accomplish that is by waiving some veterans with big contracts, a description that applies to Shaq Thompson.
In 2022, the linebacker started all 17 games and led the team with a career-high 135 total tackles. He also had eight tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery and 0.5 sacks.
Although he has been with the organization since 2015 and is a full-time starter, Thompson's contract does not help his case to stick around. If the Panthers waive him before next season, they will save about $13.2 million. With this money, they could focus on bringing back some free agents or even go after some new names.
The bold prediction is that the Panthers and Thompson will part ways this offseason, with Carolina continuing its rebuild while allowing the veteran to compete for bigger things elsewhere.
3. Carolina re-signs D'Onta Foreman
One of the most important free agents Carolina has in the 2023 offseason is D'Onta Foreman. The running back gained a larger role on the team after a midseason trade involving Christian McCaffrey.
Foreman played all 17 games and started nine of them in 2022, both the best marks of his career. He ended up leading the Panthers with 203 carries for 914 yards and five touchdowns. No other player on the roster surpassed 500 yards on the ground. He also added 26 yards on five catches.
With the offense potentially suffering many changes for 2023, keeping Foreman might be a good path for Carolina. He is already familiar with the system and could be one of the team's main offensive options, especially since the Panthers will likely have a new starting quarterback.
All things considered, the bold prediction is that Carolina will re-sign Foreman on a team-friendly deal. He should then gain an even larger role in 2023, his first as a full-time starter.
2. Carolina signs a veteran quarterback
The one position that gave the Panthers most trouble in 2022 was quarterback position. They opened with Baker Mayfield as a starter and went 1-5. After benching the former Heisman Trophy winner, they gave the job to P.J. Walker, who led the team to a 2-3 record before he suffered an injury. Then, they finished the year with veteran Sam Darnold starting under center.
For 2023, Carolina only has Matt Corral under contract among quarterbacks. He failed to make an appearance this past season after suffering a foot injury during preseason action.
The bold prediction is that Carolina will sign a veteran quarterback over the offseason. Although the team is linked to Derek Carr, it might be difficult to give him a big contract. However, players such as Carson Wentz and Marcus Mariota could be some more viable alternatives.
1. Panthers stay at No. 9, draft a franchise quarterback
Even though the Panthers are connected to some veteran quarterbacks in free agency, they could still be after a franchise quarterback to build around. Luckily for them, the 2023 NFL Draft class has plenty of candidates for the position.
Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are among the top prospects and should be off the board pretty early. Since the Chicago Bears own the No. 1 pick and already have Justin Fields, the top pick could be available via trade. If Carolina really wants one of Young or Stroud, it could trade up with Chicago.
However, the bold prediction is that the Panthers will stay at No. 9 and select a quarterback there. Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson are some of the potential names for that pick. Because they are projects when compared to other quarterbacks in the draft, they could serve as backups in 2023 and learn from the veteran the Panthers sign in free agency.
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