Carolina Panthers

Projected Offseason Moves for Carolina - Part 1 of 2

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:59 p.m. ET

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Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman celebrates after beating the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Carolina Panthers have multiple steps to take for a successful offseason and this is how I would tackle each of them…

For the Carolina Panthers and any NFL franchise the job of an NFL General Manager is one of the rarest and most difficult titles to obtain. It’s hard enough getting a personnel position within a professional organization but to then work your way into one of the 32 jobs in existence takes a special kind of talent.

With the job comes plenty of criticism. From fans to media, NFL GM’s get criticized no matter what moves they make. When they work out they’re geniuses and when they don’t they get canned for the next best thing.

Panthers’ general manager Dave Gettleman has been on both ends of the spectrum in his four years in Carolina.

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Never averse to making the bold move (i.e. cutting Steve Smith, DeAngelo Williams and Josh Norman), Gettleman has seen plenty of success as he’s transitioned the team into a more youthful group. He even won NFL Executive of the Year in 2015 from both Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. But at the same time, some of the moves have backfired of late and caused some questions to arise.

This offseason will be a big one for Gettleman in Carolina as he looks to get the team back on track after a disappointing 2016 campaign. With plenty of decisions to make from free agency to the draft, the Panthers GM has his work cut out for him.

If I were him though, this is how I would handle the coaching vacancies and re-signings facing the Panthers…

Nov 22, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Charles Tillman (31) stands on the field during a timeout against the Washington Redskins at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers defeated the Redskins 44-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Secondary Coach: Charles Tillman

With former defensive coordinator Sean McDermott’s departure to Buffalo and Steve Wilks’

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subsequent promotion to the position, Carolina has an opening in their coaching staff for the secondary. At this point it’s just speculation but if I’m Gettleman, I would be making an all out effort to recruit Charles Tillman for the job. The former defensive back helped out at training camp last season while possessing the leadership skills and high level pro experience that would make him a perfect fit for the job.

Wide Receivers Coach: Jerricho Cotchery

The idea of signing Jerricho Cotchery to fill Ricky Proehl’s role may be a tad bit outlandish but still an excellent addition to the offensive staff. Cotchery is just a year removed from the league and knows each and every member of the Panthers’ receiving corps personally. His leadership and veteran presence were a big part of Carolina’s magical 2015 run, making him a terrific candidate for the job.

Jan 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn (19) runs the ball for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Kawann Short – DT

The Panthers have plenty of cap space to work with this season and need to make signing Short to a long term deal a top priority. His “down” year after 2015’s breakout still yielded six sacks and among defensive tackles he’s still one of the top five at his position in the entire league in terms of all-around talent. Carolina can’t let him get away.

Ted Ginn Jr. – WR

Carolina’s receiving corps dropped off a bit this year after an overachieving 2015. That being said, Ginn was probably the brightest spot among the group. He’s getting up there in age (31) and could price himself out a bit. But at the same time his success with Cam Newton in Carolina could make him available at a discount. His hands will always be an issue but as long as you can live with the occasional wide-open drop, he’ll reward you with plenty of eye-popping big plays.

Mario Addison – DE

This re-signing is an absolute must. Addison has consistently been one of Carolina’s top pass rushing threats and finally broke out as a complete defensive end notching nine and a half sacks. Because of that he deserves a payday. Addison deserved a shot as a full time end long before this season and now should get a deal and a starting spot on this defense.

Oct 10, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson (95) tries to pump up the crowd during the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. The Bucs defeated the Panthers 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Johnson – DE

Johnson has certainly seen a steep decline in his play over the last few seasons due to injury but still can provide the team with a situational playmaker along the defensive line. He already took a major pay cut last year to stay with the team and all signs point to an even cheaper short term deal coming to keep Johnson in Carolina for the remainder of his career.

Leonard Johnson – CB

The Panthers secondary needed a boost this season and the return of Johnson did just that. Once the veteran nickel corner was added to the lineup, the Carolina secondary finally started to perform. Johnson was added for cheap late last offseason and should definitely be re-signed to a deal that’ll likely be just as cheap this time around.

Mike Remmers – RT

Remmers gets a lot of flak for his play sometimes but frankly, Carolina can’t afford to let him walk. Playing out of position for most of 2016 wasn’t ideal but once he moves back to right tackle, Remmers is a solid option. Next year would be just his second full season and his overall solid play deserves to be rewarded – even if it is for the short term.