Not everything has worked out the way the Panthers had hoped this year. Injuries to Cam Newton and Kawann Short have made competing extremely difficult in a deep NFC field. That said, not everything has gone bad.

Some of general manager Marty Hurney’s pickups in free agency have performed quite well, especially defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. He has been named the team’s most underrated player of the 2019 season by Pro Football Focus. McCoy has destroyed the narrative that he’s washed up by defending the run well and getting after the quarterback.

“So far, McCoy has earned an 82.4 grade that ranks 11th among all interior defensive linemen, and he has shined specifically in run defense, as his 89.4 run-defense grade is the third-best at his position, trailing behind only Aaron Donald and Calais Campbell. His performance as a pass-rusher hasn’t been too bad either, with 30 pressures generated in his 10 games (12th).”

So far, he’s posted four sacks, eight quarterback hits and six tackles for a loss. With just an $8 million cap hit this year, McCoy is one of the top bargains in the league at his position.

McCoy is one of several defensive veterans that are either playing on one-year deals or are in the final year of their contracts. The unit might look very different next year, but the Panthers should try to keep him around for another run in 2020.