Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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That’s the made-for-social-media definition of NFL free agency, but that’s not nearly the whole story as Hurney started making moves before free agency officially began and has continued making moves into June. Before the McCoy signing, most of the moves didn’t move the needle much nationally. But collectively, Hurney and his staff have moved mountains, significantly upgrading the roster from top to bottom.
While there’s still some talk about who the starting safety alongside Eric Reid will be, what if the Panthers hadn’t signed Reid? Hurney’s acquisition of talent began a month before free agency when the Panthers reached a three-year deal with Reid, an impactful safety Carolina signed early last season who was set to become a free agent. He's the leader of the secondary and he's looked outstanding this spring.
Then when free agency opened, Hurney executed his plan to bolster the trenches. The first full day of free agency did wonders for the look of the offensive line in front of quarterback Cam Newton. First, Carolina signed former Broncos center Matt Paradis to a three-year deal, bringing stability to the interior of the line in the wake of five-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kalil’s retirement.
That same day, Hurney also surprised many by managing to keep offensive tackle Daryl Williams in town with a team-friendly, one-year deal. Williams was an All-Pro in 2017 who missed virtually all of the 2018 season with a knee injury and who most expected to sign elsewhere. Hurney’s day also included some dirty work that comes with the GM gig as the Panthers released offensive tackle Matt Kalil two years into the five-year deal he signed when Dave Gettleman sat in Hurney’s seat.