The Carolina Panthers secure star cornerback Stephon Gilmore in a trade, proving once again that they want to be a serious playoff contender this year.

Munich – Whoever goes all in at poker is aware of the risk. You either win it all or lose it all. Nothing in between. No second place, no second chance.

General Manager Scott Fitterer holds the chips in his hand for the Carolina Panthers. In the background is owner David Tepper, who became a billionaire as a hedge fund manager and knows that high profit also comes with a certain amount of risk.

In the current season, the Panthers are actively throwing their chips in the middle, not passing. The team acquired Sam Darnold, hooked up with some big-name free agents and recently lured C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore to Charlotte. Investments in the future.

David Tepper once said in an interview two years ago that long-term average was not enough for him. He wants to have a championship team, which ideally fights for the Super Bowl every year.

Good start to the season

The investments are paying off. The Panthers have won three of their first four games of the season. Along with Defensive Coordinator Phil Snow, Head Coach Matt Rhule gave the defense a makeover. More young players, innovative scheme. The defence is one of the better units in the league after four games;

The Panthers have allowed 66 points so far, third best in the league. They also rank second in that category with 14 sacks.

“I love him as a coach. We play a variable defence, but he makes it very simple for us. He puts us in positions where we can flourish,” said pass rusher Brian Burns, praising his defensive coordinator.

Yet the defence was on the brink two years ago. Panthers legend Luke Kuechly ended his career, veterans like James Bradberry, Dontari Poe and Mario Addison left the franchise. Rhule swung the lifeline, the Panthers became the first team in NFL history to select only defensive players in a draft – some of whom have since gone on to play a crucial role.

Offensive clicks

On the other side of the ball, Sam Darnold is blossoming under the tutelage of Joe Brady, who many pundits are already talking about as a head coach. Brady largely masks Darnold’s weaknesses, making him look good in the short passing game with, comparatively, simple passes.

Brady also repeatedly incorporates Darnold into the running game and catches defenses on the wrong foot when Darnold sets off on his own. Especially in the redzone, defenses have hardly had the quarterback on their radar. The result? Darnold leads the league with five rushing touchdowns.

Despite the injury to Christian McCaffrey, who made life easier for Darnold in the passing game earlier in the season, the offensive motor isn’t stopping. Instead, players from the second row, for example Chubba Hubbard or Brandon Zylstra, are put into action.

D.J. Moore is emerging as one of the league’s best receivers this season, collecting 30 catches for 398 yards and three tochdowns so far.

Not an easy division

A look at the Panthers’ division shows an open race between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) and Carolina (3-1). The New Orleans Saints (2-2) can always spring surprises, too. All three teams turn over every penny in the front office to bring in the best players possible, constantly trying to improve their team.

Qualitatively, the Panthers are several steps away from the Buccaneers, especially in terms of offensive firepower. So, in order to win their division, they will inevitably have to shore up the defence.

Gilmore brings experience
With Gilmore, the Panthers now get another piece of the puzzle, which may rise to be an ace in the hole. The cornerback will cost the Panthers a sixth-round pick. He brings experience and of course individual quality to a young secondary.

He is currently still nursing a calf injury, but should be ready to go in a few weeks. The Panthers’ attack-minded approach could soon bear its first fruit. The right seeds have been sown. However, and this is no surprise with the All In, it can also backfire quickly.

Gilmore is likely to get a new contract from the Panthers, which will tie Head Coach Rhule’s team to him financially for the time being. Add to that several pillars of the team who are likely to enter contract negotiations after the season (D.J Moore, Sam Darnold, Donte Jackson, Haason Reddick).

The Panthers want to play at the top at all costs, however, with this method you always run the risk of losing.