Let’s take a deep look at the Panthers 2019 season, 2020 offseason and what lies ahead in 2020.
2019 Team Ranks
| Total Offense | 19th (5469 yards) |
| Passing Offense | 20th (3650 yards) |
| Rushing Offense | 14th (1819 yards) |
| Total Defense | 23rd (5992 yards allowed) |
| Passing Defense | 13th (3696 yards allowed) |
| Rushing Defense | 29th (2296 yards allowed) |
| PPG | 21.3 |
| PPG Allowed | 29.4 |
| Offensive Line Ranks | |
| PFF | 18th |
| Football Outsiders (Run Block) | 17th |
| Football Outsiders (Pass Block) | 29th |
Coaching Staff Changes
| Matt Rhule replaces Ron Rivera as HC |
| Joe Brady replaces Scott Turner as OC |
| Phil Snow replaces Eric Washington as DC |
| Jake Peetz moved to QB Coach |
| Jeff Nixon hired as RB Coach |
| Frisman Jackson replaces Jim Hostler as WR Coach |
| Brian Angelichio replaces Pete Hoener as TE Coach |
| Pat Meyer hired as OL Coach |
| Mike Phair replaces Sam Mills III as DL Coach |
| Mike Siravo replaces Steve Russ as LB Coach |
| Jason Simmons hired as Pass Game Coordinator |
Offseason Additions
| Russell Okung LT |
| Teddy Bridgewater QB |
| Robby Anderson WR |
| Stephen Weatherly DE |
| Juston Burris S |
| John Miller G |
| Seth Roberts WR |
| Zach Kerr DE |
| Tahir Whitehead LB |
| Michael Schofield G |
| Pharoh Cooper WR |
| Seth Devalve TE |
| Keith Kirkwood WR |
| Eli Apple CB |
Offseason Losses
| Luke Kuechly LB |
| Cam Newton QB |
| James Bradberry CB |
| Greg Olsen TE |
| Eric Reid S |
| Gerald McCoy DT |
| Mario Addison DE |
| Trai Turner G |
| Vernon Butler DT |
| Greg Van Roten G |
| Bruce Irvin DE |
| Daryl Williams RT |
| Dontari Poe DT |
| Marcus Baugh TE |
| Collin Jones S |
| Marcus Murphy RB |
| Wes Horton DE |
| Kyle Allen QB |
2020 NFL Draft
| Round 1 (7) – Derrick Brown DT Auburn |
| Round 2 (38) – Yetur Gross-Matos Edge Penn State |
| Round 2 (64) – Jeremy Chinn S Southern Illinois |
| Round 4 (113) – Troy Pride CB Notre Dame |
| Round 5 (152) – Kenny Robinson S West Virginia |
| Round 6 (184) – Bravvion Roy DT Baylor |
| Round 7 (221) – Stantley Thomas-Oliver III CB Florida International |
2020 Schedule with record vs opponents since 2017
| Week 1 – vs Las Vegas Raiders 1 PM ET CBS | 0-0 |
| Week 2 – at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 PM ET FOX | 4-2 |
| Week 3 – at Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 PM ET CBS | 0-0 |
| Week 4 – vs Arizona Cardinals 1 PM ET FOX | 1-0 |
| Week 5 – at Atlanta Falcons 1 PM ET FOX | 1-5 |
| Week 6 – vs Chicago Bears 1 PM ET FOX | 0-1 |
| Week 7 – at New Orleans Saints 1 PM ET FOX | 1-6 |
| Week 8 – vs Atlanta Falcons 8:20 PM ET FOX (TNF) | 1-5 |
| Week 9 – at Kansas City Chiefs 1 PM ET FOX | 0-0 |
| Week 10 – vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 PM ET FOX | 4-2 |
| Week 11 – vs Detroit Lions 1 PM ET FOX | 1-1 |
| Week 12 – at Minnesota Vikings 1 PM ET FOX | 1-0 |
| Week 13 – BYE | |
| Week 14 – vs Denver Broncos 1 PM ET CBS | 0-0 |
| Week 15 – at Green Bay Packers TBD | 1-1 |
| Week 16 – at Washington 1 PM ET CBS | 0-2 |
| Week 17 – vs New Orleans Saints 1 PM ET FOX | 1-6 |
Miscellaneous Notes
|
Christian McCaffrey led NFL in YAC (1,010 yards)
|
| Matt Rhule was 47-43 as a College HC |
|
Teddy Bridgewater was 5-0 as starter for NO in 2019
|
| 2019 Offense Play Selection |
| Pass – 64.2% |
| Rush – 35.8% |
| PFF Top 5 Graded Players in 2019 |
| 1. Christian McCaffrey RB 86.6 |
| 2. DJ Moore WR 82.3 |
| 3. Tre Boston FS 76.4 |
| 4. Taylor Morton RT 76.2 |
| 5. Teddy Bridgewater QB 73.0 |
| Players who opted out of 2020 season |
| Christian Miller ROLB |
| Jordan Mack LB |
Burning Question: Can Christian McCaffrey break the record for most all-purpose yards in a single season?
Bottom Line: Simply put, it is very hard for this team to overcome the losses of all these key veterans. Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen just to name the big 3. These guys were a huge part of the Super Bowl run in 2015, and the playoff run in 2017.
Without them, it is tough to see them as a tough all around team. I love Christian McCaffrey as a player, but think about how fantastic he was last season. Despite him putting out an All-Pro season, the Panthers picked up 5 wins.
They have some very intriguing players that were just recently drafted. Guys like Derrick Brown, Brian Burns, and Jeremy Chinn will be thrown into the water right away. They will eventually swim, but for 2020 they might need floaties.
Going up against Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and oh yeah Tom Brady for 6 of 16 games is pretty brutal. I think the Panthers will struggle mightily in 2020 and may be in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes.
Predicted Win Range: 3-5
