Breaking News: Gerald McCoy signs with the Panthers

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has signed with the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and multiple outlets. The deal is worth $8.5 million for one year.

McCoy had been deciding between the Panthers, as well as the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. According to Schefter, McCoy was leaning towards the Ravens until he came to Charlotte to visit the Panthers.

I had predicted that McCoy may want to get some vengeance on Tampa Bay and the Bucs giving Ndamukong Suh, the other top defensive tackle taken in the 2010 NFL Draft, McCoy’s old number may have been a huge deciding factor.

For the Panthers, this is a huge late signing. The team struggle in sack production the previous season, ranking in the bottom-10 in terms of total sacks. The sack leader for the Panthers last season was Mario Addison, who only registered nine sacks, the next closest player was the now-retired Julius Peppers who had five and a half sacks in 2018.

Carolina has made it a point of emphasis to improve the pass rushing of it’s front seven, as they signed Bruce Irvin and drafted Brian Burns to anchor the outside pass rush earlier this year.

As for where McCoy will play on the line, it still remains a bit convoluted. McCoy for all of his career has played in a 4-3 defensive scheme and now will be asked to play in a primarily 3-4 scheme that will have alternative packages.

McCoy will have plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself under Ron Rivera’s defensive scheme, and with a scheme that will feature McCoy, Kawaan Short and Dontari Poe on the front line, with Irvin and Burns on the outside, it could be quite the sack party in Carolina.