Paradis Signing Proves Panthers All In On Supporting Cam

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Photo credit © Isaiah J. Downing
By Ryan Chell "Rec Specs"

"I believe great offensive lines offer you a lot of optionality."

That's what Panthers owner David Tepper told Bill Voth of Panthers.com back in January.
In that sit-down with Voth, Tepper said that it's their goal this season - as they look to put Humpty Dumpty back together again after a 7-9 season - to make sure that they're protecting their 103-million dollar investment and former NFL MVP in Cam Newton.
Tepper, GM Marty Hurney and the Panthers came through on those words this week by agreeing in principle to a deal with Broncos free agent center Matt Paradis to a three-year, 27 million dollar contract.

The deal will become effective once the league year starts on Wednesday.

 

© Mark J. Rebilas

 

Paradis, 29, was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the #2 center in the 2018 season, and was widely pursued by several NFL teams once he hit the open market as the top free agent center.

Paradis was a 6th-round pick by the Broncos in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Boise State.

After not seeing any action his rookie year, he became a four-year starter for Denver and became a clear anchor for that offensive line in the AFC West - including paving the way for Ronnie Hillman and future Panther CJ Anderson to rush for 1500 yards on the ground en route to a Super Bowl in 2015.

His dominance on the line continued for three more seasons and despite breaking his fibula nine games into his 2018 season, he allowed just five pressures before going down and ending the year on IR.

And with former All-Pro Ryan Kalil's retirement at the end of the season for Carolina, the Panthers are bringing in a guy who will slide right in in front of Newton with no skipping a beat.
And with longtime NFL offensive line coach John Matsko running this unit, the Panthers are also expecting Pro-Bowl production out of Paradis that was the norm with Ryan Kalil.

"One of the highlights last year was the job that John Matsko did...with how beat up it was and how decent it was...so that was a pretty good job," Tepper said.

Tepper made it adamant this off-season that it's about protecting their quarterback - one coming off two straight shoulder surgeries - for years to come as he enters the last decade of this NFL career.

"It's not just about this season," Tepper stated. "It's about multiple seasons. You want to build multiple winning teams for the long term future here."

Paradis is being counted on for three of those future seasons with his deal.

As Newton nurses his arm, Tepper compared their course of action with the way the Indianapolis Colts handled the rehab of their star quarterback, Andrew Luck as he came back from a similar shoulder injury that caused him to miss the 2017 season. 
As Luck recovered, the team also made investments up front by drafting guard Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith in the 2018 NFL Draft upon Luck's return to the lineup.

All to ensure Luck STAYED in the lineup.

And he did.

Luck played a full 16-game season for the first time since 2014, and he reached his second best statistical season in terms of passing yards and touchdowns as a pro.

With a healthy Luck, the Colts also returned to the playoffs for the first time since that 2014 campaign.

Are David Tepper and Marty Hurney copying off the Colts homework by signing Paradis?

If that's the case, I've never been a bigger fan of cheating in my whole life.

-Rec Specs