Cat Scratch Reader
We address all sorts of post Draft fans questions in this week’s fan mailbag!
Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! This is an explosive follow up to a very loaded weekend of news following the Panthers highly regarded 2025 NFL Draft class. You all had a lot of questions about what’s next for this team, and I brought answers.
Let’s dive in!
Prickly_Claire: I’ve seen a lot of write-ups of Nic Scourton refer to him as a “three down” player, but is he a three down EDGE or does his skillset present the opportunity to be a guy who can move inside to DE in our scheme in pass rush scenarios?
Commenter Shifty Fish answered this question quite nicely, but to summarize, the Panthers liked Scourton as an every down player for their scheme. Dan Morgan even said in interviews this week they had a first round grade on him. The Panthers plan is to use him as both an edge rusher and as an interior player on passing downs, much like they did with Yetur Gross-Matos in his final year in Carolina in 2023. Only difference here, Nic Scourton was drafted to play that role, where YGM was a holdover from the prior regime.
@WTMealey: The Panthers had a total of 32 sacks last year. I know that isn’t the perfect metric for how well you are getting to the passer, but it surely means something.
What’s your over under number for 2025?
I think an over/under number of 40.5 is solid just off the top of my head. Carolina’s pass rush theoretically shouldn’t be fixed all in one Offseason, especially since they didn’t go out and get someone like Myles Garrett as an example. Getting 41 would have placed them right in the middle of the league in 2024 as far as total sacks are concerned, which compared to bottom 3 in the league for their results from the same year, would be a huge jump in production.
DannyLimes: Given the various puffs of smoke about T-Mac; an old video, reports (Joe P) that the initial visit with us didn’t go well, McShay and others concerns about work ethic… how much is that a concern?
I’ll be honest I’m barely concerned- saw some lazy-ish plays, halfhearted blocking etc but nothing outside of the realms of your average receiver. I am curious as to yours and the group think.
Panthers fans can certainly sound off in the comments about their thoughts, but overall I’m not concerned at all by the pre-Draft headlines about Tetairoa McMillan. The video that circulated about him not enjoying watching film came from his first year in college, and I think most players at that age aren’t going to say they sit around watching film all day. He’s since stated that it was an outdated take and he’s matured since then, I have no reason not to believe him after two incredible final seasons in...
