The Carolina Panthers must plan for the future at linebacker, especially with Luke Kuechly’s continued concussion struggles.
Injuries are a part of any sport. Athletes are going to suffer injuries that limit their abilities and careers in the NFL and elsewhere. Consequently, organizations have to be ready to fill a void when a player has caught the injury bug. The Carolina Panthers are in such a situation with their defensive star, Luke Kuechly. It’s clear that Kuechly is a pillar for this defense, but his future is a question mark for the Panthers front office following the 2016 season.
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Watching Luke Kuechly play football is always a sight to see. He flies around the field in a way that makes spectators think he’s a part of nearly every tackle for the Panthers. His stat line often supports that argument.
The 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 Defensive Player of the Year is consistently near the top of the heap in tackles each season. In five seasons of play, he’s earned 722 total tackles, averaging to approximately 144 per season. He’s earned the captain’s C that is on his jersey and each down he reminds everyone why.
But it’s that same style of play that has damaged Kuechly’s career. In 2015, he missed three games due to concussion issues. That number doubled to six in 2016 as he took another hard hit and sat out the rest of the year.
As the Panthers 2016 season slipped away, many believe that Kuechly was kept on the sideline with his long term health and future in mind. However, concussions are an injury filled with mystery. Even as the NFL reported a drop in concussions, players, teams and the league need to be weary of their long-term impact.
With that in mind, the Panthers need to prepare for the possibility that Kuechly could miss time in the future. A.J. Klein has backed Kuechly up and played well in the time he was on the field. Unfortunately for the Panthers, Klein is an unrestricted free agent and very aware of his value to the team and across the league. Klein had a base salary of $587,825 and started a combined 13 games for the Panthers in 2015 and 2016 where he earned 77 total tackles. He’s a viable alternative, but one must wonder if he can bring in any type of production close to Kuechly if re-signed.
The Panthers also have other options. David Mayo looked good towards the end of the season and there are prospects coming through the draft. Jeremy Cash from Duke is a player that is a linebacker on paper, but his play style allows him to flow throughout the defense. Do not expect Carolina to jump on a linebacker early in the draft, but there are opportunities for them to find a player to add into this already strong unit.
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It would be nearly impossible to find a player with the abilities to “replace” Luke Kuechly. He terrorizes opposing offenses in a way that creates openings for the rest of the defense. Sadly, he’s suffered two concussions that have increased the amount of time he’s missed. It’s time for Carolina to prepare with alternatives and thankfully there are options available.