The Carolina Panthers were not the craziest team in Day 1 of free agency in the NFL, but they continued to make solid decisions to build up the two-time NFC South Champion roster. The finalized deals that that were reported yesterday and added some new ones to bring back two more familiar faces.
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On Monday the Panthers reached agreement with Michael Oher, Ted Ginn, Joe Webb, Fozzy Whittaker, and Brenton Bersin among others. Oher is seen as a possible answer at left tackle. Ginn adds the return threat and a deep receiving threat. Webb offers flexibility at the third quarterback spot. Whittaker showed some toughness last season and Bersin is about as close as it gets for hometown favorites.
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On Tuesday, the Panthers were not done. They reached a deal to bring back defensive tackle Dwan Edwards and have reportedly come to terms with free agent tight end Ed Dickson.
Edwards has been a big piece of the Panthers defensive line ever since he was brought in. He has been a bulwark in the middle. While his role has decreased with the rise of Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short, he is still an important part of the defensive tackle rotation. Dave Gettleman values depth along the defensive line dating back to his days with the Giants. Bringing back Edwards was a smart move.
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Ed Dickson, on the other hand, really made his mark to the end of last season. The former Oregon Duck and Baltimore Raven offered a second passing weapon at the position, but he was also called into h-back duty and showed more blocking skill than he was known for. His signing is a call back to Cam Newton’s rookie year when Jeremy Shockey paired with Greg Olsen to offer good options for Cam. If Dickson can become Shockey, then the Panthers have hit a home run here.
The Panthers did not go blow up the team or get involved in a super trade on the first day of free agency, and that is just fine. As long as they stay true to their own vision, they will be in good shape.