Carolina Panthers 2023 Offseason Preview

Nick Mensio recaps the 2022 Panthers' skill players and looks ahead at Carolina's notable free agents, potential cut and trade candidates, and team needs.

The QB-desperate Panthers traded for Baker Mayfield just ahead of the start of training camp last summer, but Carolina opened the season 1-4, averaging 18.6 points, and then fired coach Matt Rhule and benched Mayfield. Veteran DC Steve Wilks took over head-coaching duties and guided the Panthers to a 6-6 finish. Mayfield was eventually cut after Week 12. All three of Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and P.J. Walker started at least five games. With Darnold a free agent and Walker an RFA, it’s conceivable that Carolina will have an entirely different quarterback room under new coach Frank Reich. After injury-riddled 2020-2021 seasons, Christian McCaffrey produced the RB6 numbers from Weeks 1-6 for the Panthers and was flipped to the 49ers for a haul of draft picks on October 20. D’Onta Foreman took over RB1 duties in Carolina and posted five 100-yard rushing games from Week 7 forward as the overall RB22 during that Weeks 7-18 stretch. D.J. Moore’s targets dipped from 9.6 per game in 2021 to 6.9 with the Panthers’ quarterback carousel, though Moore did secure a career-best seven touchdowns. All three of Moore’s 100-yard games came after Mayfield’s benching and subsequent release. 2023 will be the first season of Moore’s three-year, $61.9 million extension he signed last March. Moore turns 26 in April. Moore led the Panthers with 118 targets, but the next closest teammate was Terrace Marshall with 47. Marshall, Shi Smith, and Laviska Shenault all rotated through the lineup after the October trade of Robbie Anderson. At tight end, Tommy Tremble (19/174/3) and Ian Thomas (21/197/0) split duties, functioning mainly as blockers. Reich and new OC Thomas Brown have extensive backgrounds with tight ends, so that figures to be a spot where Carolina will also look to upgrade this offseason.