Locked On Panthers

It's no secret that Christian McCaffrey has struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons. Because of this, the former All-Pro running back has reached out to Hall of Fame back Marshall Faulk about how he was successful in staying healthy during the latter years of his career. The Panthers have already shown caution with McCaffrey by holding him out of training camp last year and so far this offseason limiting his reps during OTAs and minicamp. Will the team's new approach aid in keeping McCaffrey fresh?McCaffrey's in-game touches have been the top concern for Panthers fans the past two seasons. Prior to a Week 3 injury last season, McCaffrey touched the ball 59 times in the first two weeks, many of those coming via receptions. Coincidentally, McCaffrey's workload has coincided with the organization's neverending quest to find a quarterback. Could improved quarterback play be a factor in preserving McCaffrey moving forward?Plus, an update on the Panthers interest in Baker Mayfield/Jimmy Garoppolo and Luke Ku

The Weekly Friday Mailbag returns once again on Locked On Panthers. Julian Council is back to answer listener questions as the Countdown to Training Camp at Wofford College continues.Questions this week center around whether Matt Rhule is trying to hype Sam Darnold up to increase his trade value, the Panthers plan at backup running, if Matt Corral should start from Day 1 so that the team can see whether he can play or not, along with a question on if the team would've been better of with Teddy Bridgewater.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Blue NileMake your moment sparkle with jewelr

Following the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, the Carolina Panthers continue to weigh their options at quarterback. Reports from CBS Sports Josina Anderson and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer suggest that the Panthers are still interested in Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Panthers originally set a "soft" deadline to get a deal done prior to minicamp. When is too late for the Panthers to bring in Mayfield?Were Mayfield to arrive in the next few weeks could he realistically win the starting job for Week 1? How detrimental could missing OTAs and minicamp be for Mayfield?Plus, sportsbooks in Vegas have Matt Rhule as the favorite to be the next NFL coach to be fired or resign. Can Matt Rhule save his job in 2022?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever

WCNC Sports Director Nick Carboni joined Julian Council to wrap up the Carolina Panthers mandatory minicamp. Nick and Julian discussed what the Panthers might do at the quarterback position during these next five weeks off. Do Matt Rhule and the Panthers brass believe in Sam Darnold enough to not make a move? Will Baker Mayfield end up in Carolina before training camp?The guys also discuss the bizarre saga of Panthers wide receiver Robbie Anderson and look at players who might need to step up if Anderson cannot bounce back or retires prior to the season.Plus, the guys share their thoughts on the state of the Panthers pass rush. Is it time for Carolina to add a veteran?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing se

With mandatory minicamp wrapped up, the Carolina Panthers now have five weeks off before reporting to training camp at Wofford. Julian once again took the time to answer listener questions with another edition of the Weekly Friday Mailbag.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Blue NileMake your moment sparkle with jewelry from Bluenile.com, and LOCKED ON SPORTS listeners get $50 off purchases of $500 or more using code LOCKEDON. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up mandatory minicamp with a pseudo-Fan Fest as the team practiced inside Bank of America Stadium in front of friends and family.The offense was the story of the day as both quarterbacks, Sam Darnold and Matt Corral, excelled during the team's red zone period.Following practice, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule wrapped up the offseason as the team takes a five-week hiatus before beginning training camp at Wofford. Rhule applauded general manager Scott Fitterer for the job that he's done building the roster this offseason. One of those additions is Corral, who Rhule states needs to continue to improve at the pre-snap portion of the position but said that "the arrow’s pointing up for him." Corral echoed Rhule's sentiment by stating that he needs to nail down the mental aspect of the game. Does this suggest that Corral will unlikely be ready to lead the Panthers offense by Week 1? Can Corral catch up in time to challenge Darnold during training camp?The Panthers quarterback situation

The Carolina Panthers were back on the field on Wednesday afternoon for the second day of mandatory minicamp. Several veterans once again were not in uniform as Matt Rhule tries a different approach to the team's offseason program.Reports on Tuesday surrounded the Panthers interest in Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Incumbent starting quarterback Sam Darnold met with the local media to once again address the Panthers reported interest in trying to replace him following a disappointing season. Darnold also offered insight into his relationship with rookie Matt Corral. Darnold says that he's helping to mentor rookie. Has Darnold shown his leadership to be beneficial through this offseason? Should the Panthers roll with Darnold and Corral for the 2022 season?Panthers wide receiver Robbie Anderson also met with the Charlotte media on Wednesday a few days after he tweeted out his thoughts on potentially retiring. Anderson informed the media that he was "just thinking out loud" and "wasn’t really that

On Tuesday morning, Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports NFL Insider, reported on Twitter that trade talks between the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Brown surrounding QB Baker Mayfield are back on. According to Jones' sources, the main issue remains Mayfield's salary and how much (or how little) teams pay.Jones added that there's urgency on Carolina's side to execute the deal soon so Mayfield can get some time in minicamp with the Panthers. Which was echoed by The Athletic's Joe Person who stated that minicamp was seen as a soft deadline by Panthers on a Baker Mayfield trade.Would trading for Mayfield fly in the face of what the Panthers have been saying all offseason and since drafting Matt Corral? Should the Panthers give up any assets for Mayfield? How much should the team be willing to spend on Mayfield's nearly $19 million contract?Julian Council believes that there's no doubt that Mayfield is an upgrade from incumbent starting quarterback Sam Darnold. The bigger question is, can Mayfield be the answer at quarte

The Carolina Panthers begin the final portion of its offseason program on Tuesday with mandatory minicamp. One player who was absent throughout the voluntary OTAs was wide receiver Robbie Anderson. Anderson made waves over the weekend by posting a since-deleted tweet suggesting he was contemplating retiring. Since then, Anderson has reported to minicamp. How concerned should the Panthers be about Anderson's commitment moving forward? Would it be better for both parties if Anderson decided to move on? How would the Panthers replace Anderson?ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano reported over the weekend that Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo are likely to be cut instead of traded, with Garoppolo the favorite to land in Carolina. Minicamp allows the Panthers one final chance to evaluate its quarterback room before the long break prior to training camp. Julian Council discusses why he's focused on Sam Darnold and Matt Corral this week along with the other thi

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up the final week of OTAs and will transition to mandatory minicamp next Tuesday-Thursday. Julian Council is back for another edition of the Weekly Friday Mailbag. This week's questions include whether Matt Corral has the potential to be as good as Dak Prescott, with both having similar seasons during their senior years playing in the SEC; along with a question of if the Panthers would re-sign Sam Darnold, barring that the quarterback has a strong season, and what a potential contract for Darnold would look like.Plus, questions about if the Panthers made a mistake re-signing P.J. Walker, if fans need to dial back expectations for Ickey Ekwonu, how many rounds of golf does Matt Rhule need to save his job, the best look for Ben McAdoo, and more.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this seas

Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said recently on "The Pivot" podcast that he put himself in a "(expletive) situation" when he signed with Carolina late in the 2021 season. Newton made this statement in defense of how teams think about him and why he remains unsigned at this time. Newton also reiterated that there are not 32 quarterbacks better than him right now. Is Newton right about his circumstances in Carolina last season? Will his comments dissuade Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule from bringing back Newton?Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow spoke to the media ahead of OTAs on Wednesday where he discussed his plan to replace the production at outside linebacker, opposite of Brian Burns, that's since been departed by Haason Reddick. Snow mentioned how it will be incumbent upon Marquis Haynes and Yetur Gross-Matos to match that production. Can the Panthers rely on Haynes and Gross-Matos in 2022? Should the team look for free agents to fill that spot?Plus, Matt Rhule spoke about how he's f

The 2022 offseason was by far the most important offseason for Matt Rhule, heading into his third and possibly final year, and for second-year general manager Scott Fitterer, the two look to turn around the team following back-to-back 5-win seasons. The Panthers added several key free agents to both sides of the ball, even special teams. Which of those additions have to make the biggest impact in order for the Panthers to have success in 2022?The re-signed wide receiver Keith Kirkwood on Monday. Julian Council discusses why the Panthers wide receiver room needs to bounce back in 2022 and how it's a position group that probably deserves more scrutiny heading into the season.Plus, the Baker Mayfield to the Panthers rumor isn't finished yet. Could the Panthers trade for Mayfield ahead of next week's mandatory minicamp? Should the Panthers move on from the veteran quarterback market if they don't sign or trade for someone prior to the start next week?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a p

There's never a slow news day on Mint Street in Uptown Charlotte as the David Tepper-owned Panthers continue to be an episode of As The World Turns. The latest episode of Tepper's soap opera features the billionaire owner's real estate company filing for bankruptcy following the failed practice facility and HQ project in Rock Hill, SC. On the weekly Friday Mailbag, one listener wanted to know what this means for the future of the Panthers Rock Hill facility, Tepper's relationship with the region, and what impact it'll have on the franchise overall.Plus, questions on whether the Browns are avoiding trading Baker Mayfield to Carolina until after they've faced the Panthers in Week 1; what the Panthers ceiling could be if they do trade for Mayfield; what's behind the defenses struggles against the run the past few years; and much more.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your

The Carolina Panthers have made several necessary coaching and on-field personnel changes this offseason as they continue the third and final phase of OTAs. There's no question that third-year head coach Matt Rhule needs to win big in 2022 if he's going to return to Carolina for a fourth season. It was vital for Rhule to revamp his staff this offseason. One of those additions was offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. McAdoo was successful as an OC with the Giants before falling flat as a head coach in New York. Now, McAdoo will play a major role in trying to revitalize the Panthers dormant offense along with trying to salvage what's left of Sam Darnold's disappointing career. Is it possible that the addition of McAdoo could be the most important of the offseason changes?It's simple to point to Sam Darnold, Matt Corral, or even Christian McCaffrey or Ickey Ekwonu as some of the most intriguing players heading into 2022. Julian Council named some of his most intriguing Panthers that are flying under the radar headi

The Carolina Panthers digital team once again released a behind-the-scenes look at the Panthers draft process in "Panthers Confidential". This year, the series took an in-depth look at the selection of Charlotte-area native Ickey Ekwonu along with the Panthers trading up for Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral. Julian Council provided his takeaways from the show, what he learned and what he wishes the team would've revealed.Plus, Julian ponders which rookie needs to have the biggest impact for the Panthers in 2022. Is it Ekwonu playing at left tackle or Corral stepping into the solidify the quarterback position? Or is it someone like Amare Barno who could step into an edge rusher spot opposite of Brian Burns?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Whe

Let's kickoff Memorial Day Weekend with another Weekly Friday Mailbag on Locked On Panthers.This week's questions center around how many similarities the Panthers share with the 2012 Seattle Seahawks, who also drafted a quarterback (Russell Wilson) in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft that year; what the Panthers ceiling is with Sam Darnold; how quickly Ickey Ekwonu can become a Pro Bowler or All-Pro; and more.Plus, a question on who the Panthers would protect if the NFL had an expansion team.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a

Jonathan Alexander, Carolina Panthers beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer, joined Julian Council to discuss his reporting on the Panthers interest in a possible return for former MVP quarterback Cam Newton. What conditions might the team have in order for Newton to return? Would he receive a fair shot at competing for the job? Does it make sense for Newton and Carolina if the two join together for the 2022 season?Jonathan also provides insight into why the Panthers and Browns deal for Baker Mayfield fell through and what the Panthers might be willing to spend if they trade or sign a quarterback.Plus, more on the Panthers draft strategy at quarterback and what the team plans to do in 2022 and beyond when it comes to the rookie Matt Corral.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and l

The Carolina Panthers have spent the majority of the 2022 offseason trying to upgrade the quarterback position. The Panthers struck out on procuring the services of Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson before landing on Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the third round of the NFL Draft. Despite drafting Corral, the Panthers have maintained that they view Corral as a developmental player, signaling that he's unlikely, at this point, to be a major factor in 2022. Thus far, the Panthers haven't found an obvious upgrade to Darnold which begs the question, what's the plan moving forward for 2022? Corral could be the starter in 2023 but is the quarterback room primed to make a leap in 2022?While quarterback is the most important position in football, there are several other factors that will play a role in the success or failure of the Panthers in 2022. Julian discussed what he believes, outside of the quarterback, are the most important factors for the Panthers heading into the 2022 season.Plus, ESPN took a look at

The Carolina Panthers haven't closed the door on adding a veteran quarterback this offseason. Could that veteran be Cam Newton who remains a free agent? According to Jonathan Alexander of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers are open to signing quarterback Cam Newton, but he would not enter camp as the starter, and would have to agree to a smaller salary. Are these fair terms for Newton? Would he be given a true chance to win the starting job? How would Newton's presence impact Matt Corral's development?The Panthers began the third phase of organized team activities, or OTAs, on Monday. The team was out on the field in front of the media on Tuesday where Matt Rhule, Sam Darnold, Christian McCaffrey and others spoke to the local press core.Rhule spoke highly about Darnold's demeanor and development as the fifth-year quarterback has "completely bought in" to what new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is preaching in terms of footwork and fundamentals. Can McAdoo get the best out of Darnold?Rhule also discussed t

The Carolina Panthers are still weighing their options at quarterback as OTA begin this week. According to Albert Breer, the Panthers are cautiously optimistic about Sam Darnold's progress under Ben McAdoo but are monitoring the situation with Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Julian Council ponders how the Panthers are still in this position this late into the offseason.Will the Panthers make a move at quarterback in the month?San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo remains an option as the Niners and Garoppolo's representatives had maintained contact while the 30-year-old quarterback recovers from shoulder surgery. Is Garoppolo the most logical option for the Panthers if they do decide to wait until June or July to add another quarterback? Is trading for Garoppolo too big of a risk for the Panthers?So far this offseason, Sam Darnold has survived the Panthers failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson and the team adding another veteran. Rookie Matt Corral has been brought in to be developed but doe