Previewing the 2018 NFL Season for the Carolina Panthers
By Kyle Wiseman// Staff Writer
The 2018 NFL season kicks off this weekend, and the Carolina Panthers are on a mission to not only get back into the postseason but to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. With another competitive year in the NFC South on the horizon, here are the main things to keep an eye on for the start of the coming season.
Following the departure of former offensive coordinator Mike Shula, the Panthers hired Norv Turner for the same position. Turner, who came out of retirement to take the job, was the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings from 2014-16. On the defensive side, former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks became the new head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The Panthers named Eric Washington as its new defensive coordinator. Washington has served as the team’s defensive line coach for the past seven seasons. This is the second consecutive season that Carolina lost their defensive coordinator to a head coaching position elsewhere. Following the 2016 season, Sean McDermott was hired as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. With two new coordinators in the fold, look to see some changes on both sides of the ball.
One of Carolina’s focuses this offseason was overhauling the wide receiver position. Of the projected top four receivers on the depth chart, three of them were not on the team last season. It started when the Panthers traded cornerback Daryl Worley to the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver Torrey Smith. Smith finished last season with 33 receptions for 408 yards and played a significant role in Philadelphia’s victory over New England in Super Bowl LII, catching five passes for 49 yards. Carolina followed that by signing wide receiver Jarius Wright in free agency to a two-year deal. Wright, who played for the Vikings from 2012-17 and played three of those seasons under current Carolina offensive coordinator Norv Turner, provides the Panthers with some depth at the position. And, in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Panthers spent their first round pick on Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore. Moore had 80 receptions, 1,033 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns for the Terrapins last season. He was the first wide receiver taken during the draft. Combine with Devin Funchess, who had the best year of his career last season, and Curtis Samuel, last year’s second-round pick who is now fully healthy after spending the end of last season on injured reserve, and Cam Newton should have plenty of weapons to throw to this year.
Carolina went 3-1 in the preseason, defeating Buffalo, Miami, and New England, and losing to Pittsburgh on the final week. This is just the third time since 2007 that Carolina finished the preseason with a winning record, with the other two times coming in 2013 and 2015. Recent history shows that a win in the preseason translates well into the regular season; after going 3-1 in the preseason in 2013, the Panthers finished with a 12-4 regular season record, an NFC South title, and an automatic bye into the divisional round. And, in 2015, after going 3-1 in the preseason, the Panthers finished with a 15-1 regular season record, an NFC South title, and an appearance in Super Bowl 50, which was their second-ever appearance in the Super Bowl.
Carolina opens its season on Sunday with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. Dallas is coming off of a 9-7 season and has significant questions to answer at the tight end position following the retirement of future Hall of Fame player Jason Witten. Additionally, Dallas’ offense took a big blow during the preseason, when starting center and four-time Pro Bowler player Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, effectively ending his season.