The Carolina Panthers initially appeared poised for a return to the playoffs last season before suffering a disastrous loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers and never fully recovering. Much of the seven game slide fell on the injured shoulder of quarterback Cam Newton but there were other issues that also contributed to the decline.
A significant decrease in pressure generated on opposing quarterbacks was also an area where general manager Marty Hurney wanted to make improvements this offseason. After adding veteran Bruce Irvin into the mix, Carolina made hybrid defensive end Brian Burns their first-round pick in April – but they weren’t finished.