No team in the NFL had as disastrous of a season as the Carolina Panthers had in 2023. They went 2-15, the worst record in the league by two full games. To make matters worse, the team ended up picking the wrong player with the #1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They chose Bryce Young out of Alabama. Houston took C.J. Stroud second overall and he is likely going to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
General Manager Scott Fitterer made a trade this past offseason to move up from the ninth pick to the first overall pick. The team gave up WR D.J. Moore and their 2024 first-round pick to do so. Now the Panthers are in an extremely tough spot as their 2024 first-round pick belongs to Chicago. It happens to be the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft. After the horrendous trade this past offseason, Panthers owner David Tepper has fired GM Scott Fitterer after three seasons.
The Panthers now need a new head coach and general manager for the 2024 season
The #Panthers won’t just have a new coach in 2024, but a new GM, as well. Owner Dave Tepper has fired GM Scott Fitterer, sources tell me and @TomPelissero, in what becomes a full housecleaning for Carolina.
First coach Frank Reich. Now, Fitterer is out after three seasons. pic.twitter.com/M0LPeyfSaR
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2024
Scott Fitterer first took over as GM of the Panthers in 2021. He was part of Carolina’s search committee to find their new head coach for the 2023 season. They decided to go with Frank Reich and that proved to be a move that hurt the franchise. Reich went 1-10 in his first 11 games and was fired mid-season by Carolina. Another blemish on the resume of Fitterer as the GM of the Panthers.
The Panthers were 14-37 in three seasons with Fitterer as their GM. His 2022 first-round pick has not progressed as well as the team would have hoped heading into year two. Ikem Ekwonu was drafted sixth overall in the 2022 Draft. He was responsible for allowing (19) sacks this season, the most by one individual player. In his first year as GM, Fitterer drafted CB Jaycee Horn 8th overall and he’s missed more than 20 games due to injuries over the last three seasons.
The amount of draft picks wasted by the Carolina Panthers when Scott Fitterer was GM was wild. 11 draft picks & DJ Moore just to fill your starting QB over the last three years. That doesn’t even count other moves.@ChrisLeaTV & I discuss the firing.https://t.co/nuTcAO4arX pic.twitter.com/ajzS553FtV
— Dennis Cox (@TheFanRookie) January 8, 2024
On top of all this, Fitterer traded away All-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey last season. He got second, third, fourth, and fifth-round picks for CMC. Fitterer will also be remembered for the trade he did not make with the Rams. They offered two first-round picks for star pass rusher Brian Burns. Carolina also failed to sign Burns to a long-term deal before the start of the 2023 season. All these mistakes led to Fitterer being fired and the Panthers hitting a total reset. They’ll look to have a fresh start in 2024 with a new head coach and GM.
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