Dave Gettleman’s grand secondary experiment has failed.
In his first three years as the Carolina Panthers’ general manager, Gettleman had a knack for piecing together the defensive backfield without breaking the bank.
He’d pick up a Mike Mitchell, Roman Harper or Charles Tillman on the cheap in free agency and Panthers coach Ron Rivera would plug them into a secondary that thrived on its “Legion of Whom” identity.
That strategy worked in part because there were always enough talented veterans mixed with unproven players.
But it’s not working this season.
In the span of 15 days, the Panthers have allowed the two highest single-game passing totals in the franchise’s 22-year history.