NFL free agency requires a fast-acting front office, as the most coveted free agents are signed shortly after the period begins. Many players even come to contract agreements with teams before free agency formally begins, though they cannot officially sign on the dotted line until free agency opens.
One team that is being left in the dust in this process is the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers made it to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2008, but lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional round. Led by their dominating defense, the Panthers looked like a team on the rise.
But a lack of movement during the free agency period that began March 11 is troubling and is leaving the team’s promising future in doubt. Carolina made a prudent move in placing the franchise tag on defensive end Greg Hardy, who supplanted himself among the league’s elite by finishing third in the league in sacks in 2013 with 15.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, that’s about the only good move the team has made so far. The team saw two of its defensive starters, safety Mike Mitchell and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, bolt to Pittsburgh and Minnesota, respectively, and signed gray-haired safety Roman Harper to replace Mitchell. Though Mitchell may have signed for five years and $25 million, keeping the 26-year-old would have been a sensible move for the future of Carolina’s defense.
And don’t tell me the Panthers don’t have the salary cap space, either. Carolina may be a small-market team, but is only 22nd in cap space according to sportac.com, meaning there are ten teams with less space than Carolina. And having limited cap space hasn’t stopped those teams with less cap space than the Panthers from making big additions.
The New England Patriots signed cornerback Darrelle Revis. The Denver Broncos signed cornerback Aqib Talib, defensive end Demarcus Ware and safety T.J. Ward. The New Orleans Saints, which have the least amount of cap space in the NFL, signed arguably the top safety on the market, Jairus Byrd. And neither of these signings came cheap.
So stop using lack of salary cap space as justification for your team’s inaction, Panthers fans.
On the offensive end, it’s even worse. The Panthers released longtime wide receiver Steve Smith, who is arguably the most recognizable face in the history of the franchise. In addition, they lost wide receivers Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn Jr. and Domenik Hixon in free agency. Carolina did sign Jerricho Cotchery to fill one spot, but that leaves Kealoha Pilares and Tavarres King as the team’s second and third options. Who are Pilares and King? Exactly.
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The Panthers reportedly had interest in free agent receivers James Jones and Hakeem Nicks early in free agency, but both chose to sign with other teams.
Time is running out. Carolina could add to the position through the draft, but the Panthers don’t need just one receiver, they need two or three.
Free agency waits for no one. It moves quickly, and teams can easily get left behind if they don’t act fast. Right now, the Panthers look like the fat kid running a marathon. But hey, at least they have tight end Greg Olsen because right now, he and quarterback Cam Newton are all Carolina has on offense.