How ownership change could affect Newton, Rivera

Nothing is official yet, but it's looking like David Tepper will take over for Jerry Richardson as the majority owner of the Panthers. Tepper owned a minority share of the Steelers and will look to bring the Pittsburgh way down to Carolina, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

So what does that mean for some prominent members of the organization? Let's break it down, starting at the top of the front office…

General manager Marty Hurney

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Tepper wanting "progressive thinking on player contracts, and not setting the market on free agents" does not bode well for the Panthers' interim general manager. At least not based on his first stint as the team's GM. Hurney killed the team's cap by handing out market-setting extensions to good-but-not-great players, such as DeAngelo Williams and Charles Johnson, who was, for a brief time, the highest-paid player in the league.

In all likelihood, Tepper will want to bring in his own GM and one who has worked in Pittsburgh's front office and understands the Steeler Way. It's hard to blame him. Pittsburgh has been one of the best teams in the league when it comes to roster construction and cap management.

Head coach Ron Rivera

A new general manager coming in typically spells doom for a head coach, but the Steelers have clearly placed na clear emphasis on stability at the position. Pittsburgh has employed only three head coaches since 1969.

Rivera's been with the Panthers since 2011 and has led the franchise to its longest stretch of stability. Carolina has made the postseason in four of the last five season, and Rivera has overseen five top-10 defenses during his seven years in charge. He certainly has his flaws, but his reputation as a developer of young defensive talent could endear him to the new regime.

QB Cam Newton

Newton is a polarizing quarterback, so it's hard to say how the new ownership will view him. Schefter says Tepper doesn't want to set the market for free agents, and that's what teams have been required to do whenever a franchise QB needs a new deal. It's not a given that the team will hand him a monster deal when his contract expires after the 2020 season - especially if the new leadership doesn't see him as a quarterback capable of leading the team to a Super Bowl. That would be a mistake, but not a shocking one given how misunderstood the Panthers star has been throughout his career.

LB Luke Kuechly

We know how important the linebacker position has been in the history of the Steelers, and Kuechly still has three four years left on the extension he signed in 2015. He'll be 30 by the time his contract expires, but given Pittsburgh's emphasis on the position, it's hard to see the team letting the league's best linebacker walk in free agency, even if it does require a big-money deal. Kuechly will get another significant pay day in Carolina, no matter who is running the team in 2021.

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