Analysis: What will GM Scott Fitterer’s impact be for the Panthers and what’s next?

The Carolina Panthers’ search for the team’s next general manager differed from what transpired just a year ago in the team’s attempt to find its next head coach.

To decide on coach Matt Rhule, three in-person interviews were conducted with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, now-Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Rhule. The general manager search involved 13 virtual meetings over the first week with candidates from around the league, including two already in the Panthers’ building. Two late additions were interviewed the following Monday, including Seattle Seahawks vice president of football operations Scott Fitterer.

After being selected as one of four finalists, Fitterer arrived in Charlotte on Wednesday for an in-person interview, a day after the other three candidates had their second meetings, and then was offered the job the following afternoon, while Rhule had agreed to a deal the morning after his interview last January.

With the thorough search completed, the pieces are settling into place. Team owner David Tepper has filled the staff with his selections from the top. Gone are most of the prominent figures that Jerry Richardson hired while he owned the team.

As Tepper described during his news conference following the firing of former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney last month, he felt it was time to use what he and Rhule had learned about the NFL and build the team on their own. Now, with everyone in place, it’s time to act on that.

What will that look like with Fitterer and what’s next for the Panthers franchise?

Fitterer’s fit

Fitterer has never been a general manager or a chief decision-maker of a personnel department, instead rising through the scouting ranks with the Seahawks since 2001. Plus, he’ll now be working with Rhule, who has his own thoughts on players to be brought in or how to approach a draft.

In terms of looking back at Fitterer’s history to base it on what to be expected, it is a difficult task as he has not ever been the final decision-maker. But he did play a significant role in the Seahawks’ draft process as of late, especially when it comes to college scouting. His job responsibilities in Seattle also included helping to direct the personnel department under GM John Schneider with former Panthers scout Trent Kirchner.

The leading opinion throughout the league is Fitterer is a top evaluator of college talent. His 20-plus years working in the NFL will benefit Rhule. His recent job responsibilities have included

There is a track record of the Seahawks finding top talent later in the draft, such as quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker KJ Wright, and successful early drafts with Fitterer as director of college scouting, including selecting 13 starters in his first four years in the role.

Seattle has not had a top-10 draft pick since now-Panthers left tackle Russell Okung was selected sixth overall in the 2010 NFL draft. Why is that? Well, mostly because winning moves back your position in the draft.

Since 2010, when coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider were hired, the Seahawks have had the fourth-best winning percentage in the regular season (63.9%). During that stretch, they have played in the second-most playoff games (18) going 10-8, including winning Super Bowl 48.

In addition to that, Seattle has been known for trading back to acquire more draft picks. It’s almost expected for the Seahawks to trade back in the first round of the draft. In 2020 they stayed put at No. 27, but in every draft from 2012-19, the team traded its first-round pick to move back or traded it away to acquire a player. Part of the thinking behind that has been the organization only had so many players graded as first-round picks. By the time Seattle picks, those players are typically gone. Why not move back to acquire more picks if you have a second-round grade or lower on all of the remaining players?

Hurney, on the other hand, was not known for trading back in the first round. There is the time in 2007 when he traded No. 14 to the New York Jets, for picks 25, 59 and 164, taking linebacker Jon Beason and center Ryan Kalil with two of those selections. But that was more of an outlier than the norm.

When it comes to the No. 8 pick in the draft for the Panthers and what do with it and first-round selections to come, it’s too early to say how Fitterer’s approach will differ from Hurney’s. One aspect of his experience in Seattle that is easy to see carrying over, at least to an extent, is the relationship between the head coach and general manager.

Carroll has final say on personnel decisions and oversees the roster in Seattle.

“There’s a great dynamic. It’s give and take. John’s very involved day to day, college and pro. Pete during the season really focuses on the team. But afterwards, during January February, March, he gets very involved in the personnel side,” Fitterer told Seahawks.com in 2016 of the front-office dynamic. “It’s a really a very nice give and take throughout the season.”

Rhule will be involved with the word “collaboration” used in reference to the head coach and GM relationship in Carolina, but to what extent will be seen down the line. The level of decision-making Carroll has won’t necessarily be the case in Carolina.

One aspect that likely improved Fitterer’s candidacy? An importance the Seahawks staff puts on intangibles and “grit.” People who have been through adversity. Rhule often brings up the culture he wants to build in Carolina involving “tough guys who like to play the game the right way,” and Seattle’s similar philosophy that Fitterer spent the last decade in fits with that.

What’s next?

There won’t be much time to sit around. The Panthers will get to work on preparing for the draft, starting with coaching in the Senior Bowl in just over a week.

Trying to keep right tackle Taylor Moton in the building should be a priority, along with re-building the rest of the offensive line and figuring out if the future at quarterback is within reach in this year’s draft. Making any staffing changes and finalizing the coach staff are also on the list.

Those choices will lay the ground work for what is to come and establishing the “sustained success” that Tepper envisions. It starts with Fitterer and Rhule getting the decisions made this offseason right and going from there.

“This will be one of the most pivotal offseasons for the franchise,” Rhule said this month.

The new general manager is in place. Now comes the hard part.