After drafting seven defensive players in April, a number of pundits mused that the Panthers quietly pulled off one of the best drafts in the NFL by getting value, addressing need, and acquiring quality play-makers.
And now Carolina's offseason momentum has continued into June.
On Thursday, NFL.com listed nine NFL teams that deserved a closer look for the 2020 season — teams that deserve a bigger bandwagon. Here is what writer Adam Schein said about Carolina:
"Rhule was a fabulous hire. Look at what he did at Temple and Baylor. Monumental stuff for those programs. Meanwhile, Teddy has the accuracy and leadership -- and now the opportunity. He will thrive under offensive coordinator Joe Brady, a great hire who just took Joe Burrow and the LSU offense to another stratosphere. I loved the Robby Anderson pickup, giving Carolina a field stretcher to complement playmaking wideouts D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel, as well as provide the transcendent Christian McCaffrey with more room to operate. Carolina then smartly went ALL DEFENSE in the draft."
And on Wednesday, NFL.com covered the Panthers as part of its league-wide State of the Franchise series. Writer Adam Rank glowingly described his outlook for Teddy Bridgewater, Joe Brady's offensive system, Carolina's young defensive prospects and the leadership of Matt Rhule.
It's only June, and the Panthers haven't even stepped foot on the practice field due to the global pandemic, but that doesn't mean fans can't feel a little optimistic. Playoffs in 2020? Playoffs? It's not out of the question.
