CBS

Matt Rhule's tenure in Carolina hasn't gone according to plan; in two seasons, Rhule has gone 5-11 and 5-12, and midway through the 2021 campaign he fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady. It's hard to put all the blame on Brady, though; it's clear that neither Sam Darnold nor Cam Newton are long-term answers and the Panthers absolutely have to upgrade the position this offseason. The problem, however, is that the offensive line is in worse shape than quarterback. Compounding matters: Carolina has the No. 6 overall pick, and then aren't on the clock again until the fourth round (pick 105). There's free agency, of course, but the Panthers are currently 20th in available salary-cap space, according to Spotrac. Put another way: We fully support the notion of fixing the offensive line but we're not convinced owner David Tepper shares that mindset. He doesn't strike us as a patient man, especially when it comes to his football team.