The article was written by Steve Reed, a writer for the Associated Press Sports division.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

The Carolina Panthers are currently in need of both a head coach and a general manager.

On Monday, the Panthers revealed that they have terminated GM Scott Fitterer’s contract, following the team’s disappointing 2-15 season record, which was the worst in the NFL.

“I have decided that Scott Fitterer will no longer continue as our general manager as we embark on a new direction for our franchise,” stated Panthers owner David Tepper. He expressed his gratitude for Scott’s contributions and extended well wishes to him and his family.

In 2021, Fitterer became a member of the team and the Panthers have since recorded a record of 14-37. Prior to this, Tepper had dismissed head coach Frank Reich during his first season after the team began with a 1-10 start.

Fitterer did not promptly respond to text messages left by The Associated Press.

Last year, Fitterer arranged a deal with the Chicago Bears which enabled the Panthers to acquire quarterback Bryce Young by giving up wide receiver D.J. Moore and four draft selections, including the top pick in 2024.

The decision has not been successful for the Panthers and has received widespread criticism. This is especially notable in comparison to the achievements of C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 draft pick and a top contender for rookie of the year. In his debut season, Stroud has led the Houston Texans to the playoffs.

Fitterer made a transaction in the previous year that traded the team’s top athlete, Christian McCaffrey, to the San Francisco 49ers for draft picks, none of which were in the first round.

Two of Fitterer’s notable signings in the 2023 offseason, running back Miles Sanders and tight end Hayden Hurst, ended up being major letdowns.

Furthermore, Fitterer declined a proposal from the Los Angeles Rams to trade outside linebacker Brian Burns for two first-round draft picks. The Panthers have been unsuccessful in securing a contract extension for Burns and he will become a free agent without restrictions this upcoming offseason.

However, the trade involving Young may be remembered as one of the most unfavorable in the history of the league.

The Panthers have faced challenges in maintaining a stable quarterback situation since Tepper took ownership of the team in 2018.

Fitterer, who claimed to be involved in every deal, acquired Sam Darnold and later Baker Mayfield, but unfortunately, neither of these high-ranking draft picks turned out to be successful. In exchange for Darnold, Fitterer gave the New York Jets a sixth-round pick in 2021, as well as a second and fourth-round pick in 2022. He also traded a fifth-round pick in 2024 to Cleveland for Mayfield.

The team made an effort to acquire Deshaun Watson, but he ultimately signed a fully-guaranteed contract with Cleveland.

Tepper became increasingly desperate and pushed for the team to trade up to the first pick in the draft in order to secure a quarterback.

The Panthers attempted, but did not achieve the desired outcome.

Young, standing at 5 feet and 10 inches and weighing 204 pounds, earned the Heisman Trophy in 2021 while playing for Alabama. However, his first year as a starter was quite disappointing as he only managed to win 2 out of 14 games and averaged 179.3 passing yards per game. He also threw 11 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, with 3 of them resulting in touchdowns for the opposing team.

Unfortunately, he received minimal assistance from his offensive line and was sacked a total of 62 times, which is equivalent to the record held by Steve Beuerlein for the most in franchise history. Excluding experienced player Adam Thielen, the wide receivers on Carolina’s team faced difficulties and lacked consistent output from their tight ends.

The Panthers ended their season with two consecutive games where they failed to score, a feat not achieved since the 2008 Cleveland Browns. Throughout the season, the Panthers did not have the opportunity to run a play in the fourth quarter while they were in the lead. However, they managed to secure victory in both games with last-second field goals, despite initially trailing.

However, Chris Tabor, who acted as the team’s temporary head coach for the last six games, stated on Sunday that he remains optimistic about Young’s potential.

“I believe that when he reaches his senior year and is dominating in games and making impressive plays, he will reflect on his first year and realize that even though it may have been tough, it played a crucial role in shaping his success,” stated Tabor. “He has great potential for the future.”

Other than Young, the Panthers did not see much success in the draft under Fitterer.

In the 2021 draft, they chose Terrace Marshall Jr. as their wide receiver in the second round. However, he has not been playing much this season and requested to be traded before the deadline.

Last year, the Panthers selected Ickey Ekwonu as the 6th overall pick. Despite a strong start as a rookie, he faced difficulties at left tackle in the current season. The team also traded up to pick quarterback Matt Corral in the third round, but he did not get a chance to play for Carolina and was eventually released. Corral is no longer a member of the league.

Many of the team’s draft picks from the later rounds in the past three years have departed from the team.

After Fitterer’s departure, Dan Morgan, the assistant general manager, will oversee daily tasks until a replacement is chosen.

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The AP NFL news hub can be found at: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL.

Source: wralsportsfan.com