Carolina Panthers: 5 offseason needs in 2019

3. Cam Newton insurance

The organization certainly liked what they saw from Taylor Heinicke in his cameo last season, but there’s no way the franchise can head into 2019 with him as Newton’s primary backup. A better option must be acquired in the offseason.

The real question is how the Panthers should go about accomplishing that goal. They aren’t going to bring a veteran with aspirations of being a starter into the mix. Guys like Teddy Bridgewater are not going to come to Carolina just hoping Newton won’t be healthy. That type of player’s contract demands will also be outside of Hurney’s price range.

That means Carolina will need to find an upgrade via the draft or a lower tier of free agent. In a perfect world, the Panthers could zero in on a young player late in the draft who they believe has long-term starter potential. This might be a year or two early for the team to find Newton’s successor.

Instead, the most likely move will be to bring in a veteran who can at least give the Panthers a chance to stay afloat if Newton is forced to miss a few games. Let’s be clear, no one Carolina can get is going to make this team a Super Bowl contender if Newton is out for the year. The best the Panthers can hope for is to obtain a quality insurance policy.