You’ll hear people often say that the Carolina Panthers are a “young” football, with the implication that they will get better through additional experience. That’s true — on defense only.
On offense, the guys surrounding Cam Newton are anything but inexperienced. Of the 10 current offensive starters besides Newton, only two three — TE Greg Olson (26 years old), C Ryan Kalil (26), and often-injured RT Jeff Otah (25) — are under the age 28. Olsen is a former first-round pick in his fifth year in the league. Otah was also a first-rounder and is in his fourth year in the NFL. Kalil is a former second-round pick in his fifth season and a two-time Pro Bowler. While Newton will get better, those around him are pretty much already at or beyond their peak. Or put another way: it’s said that it takes until about a quarterback’s fourth season in the NFL before he really figures things out. By the time Newton is in his fourth year three years hence, the Panthers will of necessity have to have found pretty much a whole new cast of players to surround him. And to do that successfully, they will have to draft better than they have in the recent past.
Bonus observation: When it comes to giving young wide receivers a chance, the current Ron Rivera/Rob Chudzinski regime is worst that John Fox and friends. At least under Fox, a fourth or fifth WR, if active, would get in the game some and occasionally catch a ball. Not so under Rivera and Chud: so far this season, they have only used three wideouts. Period.
