The Carolina Panthers suddenly are without a general manager with training camp just over a week away.
The Panthers have relieved Dave Gettleman of his duties as GM, team owner Jerry Richardson announced Monday. It’s the second major shakeup in Carolina’s front office this offseason, as assistant general manager Brandon Beane left the team in May to take the Buffalo Bills’ GM job.
Gettleman’s firing surprised many, as he helped the Panthers go 12-4 during his first season as GM in 2013 and guided them to a Super Bowl berth in the 2015 season. But there were rumors that Gettleman didn’t see eye-to-eye with Richardson, particularly after Gettleman let top cornerback Josh Norman leave in free agency in 2016.
As ProFootballTalk’s Darin Gantt points out, the Panthers currently are in contract negotiations with fan favorites Greg Olsen and Thomas Davis, so it’s possible Gettleman’s history of not being sympathetic to established veterans played into his firing.
Carolina hasn’t announced a replacement for Gettleman, and after a 6-10 campaign in 2016, it enters the 2017 season with more questions than answers.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
