How did each NFL team grade out now that the Super Bowl is over?

Carolina Panthers-D

The Panthers looked to be cruising toward a playoff berth with a 6-2 record in Week 9. The wheels came off for Ron Rivera after that point in the season. Carolina limped to an ugly 7-9 finish which leaves fans with a lot of questions heading into this offseason.

The biggest issue for the Panthers this year was the injury to Cam Newton. Their swoon directly coincided with his inability to push the ball down the field. Franchise officials are optimistic he can use this offseason to return to full health, but it’s far from a certainty.

The one shining star of the season for the Panthers was Christian McCaffrey. Heading into the season, there were serious questions about whether or not he could hold up as an every down back. The former Cardinal star answered those questions emphatically. He carried the ball 219 times for 1,098 yards and 7 touchdowns. Combine that with the fact that he led the team with 107 catches for 867 yards and it’s easy to see he’s a franchise back.

Not all of Carolina’s issues were on offense though. The team’s pass rush took a massive dip, too. That put too much pressure on a young secondary to hold up against elite receivers. The Panthers will look to find edge rushers in free agency and/or the draft to get the defense back up to par.

The status of Newton will dominate the offseason headlines in Charlotte, but there are more issues for this franchise to address. Don’t sleep on all the questions Marty Hurney needs to answer.