As the longest-tenured defensive player in the Carolina Panthers roster heading into the upcoming season, veteran tackle Kawann Short has seen it all. Gone are the old faces that used to gear up alongside him. The list was headlined by 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton, linebacker Luke Kuechly, and tight end Greg Olsen. With a new chapter unfolding in Carolina, the former Purdue Boilermaker is still here to lead the team to new heights.
“I’m the type of guy that tries to lead by example, and now going into that eighth season and really being a vet around here now, I have to step up and lead vocally,” Short said, via the team’s website. “So just showing Derrick and all those guys what I’ve done to put myself in position, and what they can do to help me, what I can do to help them — we’ve just got to work together.”
Short's productivity was limited last season as he was placed on injured reserve with a partially torn rotator cuff back in October 2019. His absence since Week 2 of last season may have barred the Panthers' 2019 campaign.
The two-time Pro Bowler is looking to be a mentor to the team's defensive anchor of the future in Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown. The Panthers recently drafted the 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year with the 7th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The offensive rotation of the Panthers was also replaced with new bodies. Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is now the primary signal-caller. The team also hired the young Joe Brady from collegiate powerhouse LSU as its new offensive coordinator. A potent wide receiver in Robby Anderson will also be contributing to the Panthers' cause in the upcoming season.
Newly-acquired Panthers head coach Matt Rhule aims to lead the organization back to its dominant 2015 form by way of a gradual rebuild. The first step to their pursuit will be happening on September 13 as the team hosts the relocated Las Vegas Raiders at the Bank of America Stadium.
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