[vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”]In the first two posts from my chat with Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman at the Senior Bowl, we talked about what to expect this offseason. In this part, we’ll focus on the offense.
Part 1: Big Picture
Part 2: Gettlemanisms
Part 3:[gap size=”.713em”]
To understand what the Panthers are trying to build on offense, it helps to first accept Gettleman wouldn’t employ a coach like Chip Kelly. Innovations are fun, but so is winning, and Gettleman believes the path to success isn’t paved in a new future, but it can instead be found in football’s past.“You know my philosophy: Run the ball, stop the run, rush the passer. It’s a time-honored formula that works,” Gettleman said.[vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]
A ball-control offense may sound boring on the surface, but it doesn’t have to be in reality. While the Patriots weren’t able to establish the run against the Seahawks, they dinked and dunked their way to a win in the Super Bowl. In 2013, the Panthers racked up 12 wins with the methodical approach, and once running back Jonathan Stewart and the offensive line got healthy, they won with it again late this year.
Few fan bases like their offensive coordinator, and a good segment of Carolina supporters would love to get a new play caller. But Mike Shula is expected to be around again in 2015 because he runs an offense that fits both Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera.[vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]The biggest issue for the Panthers remains who’s in the offense. The engine may work, but it doesn’t yet have enough horsepower.At his season ending press conference, Gettleman said, “Offense scores points; defense wins championships.”Ok, but your offense needs to score more points, right?”Who doesn’t want to win 45-7?” Gettleman answered. “We’re getting there, and I like where we’re going. You’ve got a right tackle, a right guard, a left guard, two wide receivers that are puppies, and Cam is still growing as well.”Let’s break that down: Gettleman likes his right tackle (Mike Remmers), his two guards (Trai Turner, Andrew Norwell), two receiver “puppies” (Kelvin Benjamin, Philly Brown) and Cam Newton. You can also assume he’s good with Stewart, fullback Mike Tolbert, tight end Greg Olsen, and center Ryan Kalil. That leaves the obvious holes at left tackle and receiver.The “Cam is still growing” line is interesting in the context of a potential contract extension. The Panthers have made it clear he’s their guy, but what they’re willing to pay now may not equal what Newton believes he’s worth. Those numbers might not match until he shows he can be more consistent during the 2015 season. What Newton has proven already is the ability to be more than a mobile quarterback.
“I don’t care who the quarterback is, at some point in time, you have to make plays from the pocket. If you can’t make plays from the pocket, you’re not going to be a highly successful quarterback,” Gettleman said. “Cam can make plays from the pocket. He’s shown that. He’s shown it over and over and over, so I’m not concerned about it.”What the Panthers are willing to offer Newton is just one side of a long-term deal. Money isn’t everything. He — and his handlers — have to believe he can win in Carolina. That means better protection on the line and more weapons on the outside. Gettleman started rebuilding those areas last year. Now it’s time for phase two.“If you look at the way we finished, I think we’re in a pretty good place,” Gettleman said. “In those position groups, I feel we’ve set pretty good foundations. The foundations are set.”
Great post. Really like what Gettleman is doing. It’ll be fun to see what he does with more cap space.
Great post. Really like what Gettleman is doing. It’ll be fun to see what he does with more cap space.
BlackBlueReview I wish DG talked during the season. He seems like a really good interview.
BlackBlueReview I wish DG talked during the season. He seems like a really good interview.
BlackBlueReview Panthers will make a mistake not keeping Hardy if he is acquitted/not guilty. Why let him go then?
BlackBlueReview Panthers will make a mistake not keeping Hardy if he is acquitted/not guilty. Why let him go then?
BlackBlueReview Enjoy your articles – tx! ?: Anyone directly ask RR/DG about insisting Cam get qualified QB coaching help in offseason?
BlackBlueReview Enjoy your articles – tx! ?: Anyone directly ask RR/DG about insisting Cam get qualified QB coaching help in offseason?
I know the Panthers love Tolbert’s blocking, but now at around 260 pounds, he’s no longer a backup RB option (except for very short yardage plays) I don’t think they can afford a $3.5 million salary cap charge for a blocking only FB, who’s only on the field for 1/3rd (or less) of the offensive snaps. That means he’s being paid as much per snap as a $10-11 million a year player I doubt Tolbert can take enough of a pay cut (to $1.8 million or more, $1 million prorated signing bonus, and the veteran minimum salary is around $800,000) to keep from being cut. FB/TE Richie Brockel returns from IR, and only makes around 1/5th of what Tolbert does. They can also try practice squad TE/LB Kevin Green (6’2 7/8″, 255, a Pro Day 4.40-40, with a 1.56-10) t FB.
They have to add a LT, and maybe a RT as well. RT Remmers played well during the regular season (a +3.2 pass blocking grade from ProFootballFocus.com during the regular season, and a 99.4 Pass Blocking Efficiency Rating, by allowing just 1 QB hit, and 6 QB hurries, in the final 6 games),, but he was eaten alive by the Seahawks (a -6.9 PFF grade, allowing 2 QB hits and 5 QB hurries) in their playoff game. Remmers lacks RT size (6’5″, 300), and is a better pass blocker than he is a run blocker, so maybe he would be better off as a backup “swing” OT (L and R OT).
D-Will is likely to be cut, so the Panthers will probably need to either draft, or sign a quality #2 RB FA (like Roy Helu, who’s more of a #3 RB) given J-Stew’s injury history.
The Panthers badly need more speed at WR, and with Benjamin’s lack of speed (an “official” Combine 4.61-40, with a 1.62-10, but an “unofficial” 4.37-40), they need a speedy “slot” receiver on Benjamin’s side, along with a speedy big WR on the other side, so teams will have to defend the whole field (sideline to sideline, both short and deep). “Philly” Brown (5’11 3/8″, 183) could possibly play outside as the #2 WR (as he was forced to do several times this past season), but his speed isn’t great (an “official” Combine 4.51-40, with a 1.50-10, but an “unofficial” 4.37-40), and his best fit is likely as a “slot” receiver, or as the #4 WR, backing up both spots. So they probably need to add 2 WR’s, 1 big and 1 small.
I know the Panthers love Tolbert’s blocking, but now at around 260 pounds, he’s no longer a backup RB option (except for very short yardage plays) I don’t think they can afford a $3.5 million salary cap charge for a blocking only FB, who’s only on the field for 1/3rd (or less) of the offensive snaps. That means he’s being paid as much per snap as a $10-11 million a year player I doubt Tolbert can take enough of a pay cut (to $1.8 million or more, $1 million prorated signing bonus, and the veteran minimum salary is around $800,000) to keep from being cut. FB/TE Richie Brockel returns from IR, and only makes around 1/5th of what Tolbert does. They can also try practice squad TE/LB Kevin Green (6’2 7/8″, 255, a Pro Day 4.40-40, with a 1.56-10) t FB.
They have to add a LT, and maybe a RT as well. RT Remmers played well during the regular season (a +3.2 pass blocking grade from ProFootballFocus.com during the regular season, and a 99.4 Pass Blocking Efficiency Rating, by allowing just 1 QB hit, and 6 QB hurries, in the final 6 games),, but he was eaten alive by the Seahawks (a -6.9 PFF grade, allowing 2 QB hits and 5 QB hurries) in their playoff game. Remmers lacks RT size (6’5″, 300), and is a better pass blocker than he is a run blocker, so maybe he would be better off as a backup “swing” OT (L and R OT).
D-Will is likely to be cut, so the Panthers will probably need to either draft, or sign a quality #2 RB FA (like Roy Helu, who’s more of a #3 RB) given J-Stew’s injury history.
The Panthers badly need more speed at WR, and with Benjamin’s lack of speed (an “official” Combine 4.61-40, with a 1.62-10, but an “unofficial” 4.37-40), they need a speedy “slot” receiver on Benjamin’s side, along with a speedy big WR on the other side, so teams will have to defend the whole field (sideline to sideline, both short and deep). “Philly” Brown (5’11 3/8″, 183) could possibly play outside as the #2 WR (as he was forced to do several times this past season), but his speed isn’t great (an “official” Combine 4.51-40, with a 1.50-10, but an “unofficial” 4.37-40), and his best fit is likely as a “slot” receiver, or as the #4 WR, backing up both spots. So they probably need to add 2 WR’s, 1 big and 1 small.