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CHARLOTTE – The Panthers gave Scott Fitterer the chance to use the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
He might not know what to do with something this high in order.
But he’s certainly shown that he can help build a Championship organization in different ways over the years.
By offering the General Manager position to the Seahawks’ vice president of football operations on Thursday, the Panthers have identified an evaluator of a high-profile program that has helped Seattle build a stable base.
And while the Seahawks have become as notorious in recent times for their penchant for negotiating in order as any of the players they’ve taken, Fitterer has been around since when they formed a champion, thanks in large part to the draft.
Their class of 2012 was, quite simply, the kind of group that you build franchises on, as they acquired the cornerstones of the team that won Super Bowl XLVIII after the 2013 season.
They used their first-round pick on passer Bruce Irvin, who has been a solid pro throughout his career. The following two choices helped define them for almost a decade.
Getting linebacker Bobby Wagner in the second round and quarterback Russell Wilson in the third provided the leaders on either side of the ball who have carried the Seahawks since.
Seattle had just signed free agency quarterback Matt Flynn this offseason, and the three-year, $ 26 million contract indicated he planned to start (and play well).
But Wilson was a player who never took for granted that he was supposed to wait his turn, and the Seahawks clearly did the right thing by immediately making it 75th overall from their starter.
Since then, the Seahawks have chosen no more than 27th in the draft. This is partly because of their willingness to negotiate to accumulate assets, but also because they have been so good.
The Seahawks have made the playoffs in eight of the past nine seasons, and their 9-7 record in 2017 was the mark of low water in that race. They are 98-45-1 over the past nine seasons.
It’s the kind of sustained success the Panthers are looking for, having never had a consecutive season in 26 years, with an all-time high of 200-215-1.
Adding someone from a successful organization was clearly part of owner David Tepper’s plan, as the other three finalists for the post were Chiefs, Titans (to Patriots) and 49ers (to Broncos). and the Patriots).
But collaboration was also a key part of what Tepper envisioned, with Fitterer, 47, and head coach, 45, Matt Rhule able to add a promising young core in defense.
On the contrary, Fitterer’s time in Seattle should illustrate that he is neither rigid nor locked in his own silo of expertise.
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