Panthers Tracks: Carolina is set at QB, WR. Here are positions they still need to fill
Quarterback? Check. Wide receiver? Check? Offensive line? Maybe not.
The first two weeks of free agency have almost come to a close and the Panthers addressed some of their needs. But the holes are plentiful.
The 2020 NFL draft is less than four weeks away (going on as scheduled) and the team will certainly take care of some needs there. They’ve already picked up an additional fifth-round pick by trading quarterback Kyle Allen to Washington, their eighth draft selection.
The team’s biggest holes come on the defensive side of the ball, which seems to be the area they will address most in the draft. But that doesn’t mean things are all set on offense. Here’s two of the positions that need the most help from each side of the ball.
Guard
The Panthers lost their two starting offensive guards this offseason after trading Trai Turner to the Chargers in exchange for left tackle Russell Okung and with free agent Greg Van Roten signing with the Jets. They even lost guard/tackle Daryl Williams in free agency to the Bills after he started 12 of the 16 games he played in last year for the Panthers.
The team did make a move to provide depth at the position, signing former Bengals guard John Miller to a one-year deal and, right now, he would be slated to play either guard spot. But Miller just got cut by the Bengals a year after they signed him to a three-year, $16.5 million contract. That’s never a good sign. He started 13 games last year, but part of the allure of the signing likely was pairing him with his college quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater.
The other option on the roster to start at guard is second-year player Dennis Daley. He’s filled in at guard and tackle, and started nine of the 14 games he played in his rookie year. Daley played more than the team expected in 2019 and had an OK season.
Miller isn’t a long-term solution and Daley isn’t a great option at guard in 2020. There’s not much depth after that.
Tight End
This one is debatable. It depends on your feelings toward Ian Thomas. The Panthers have bigger concerns, but it’s still a position that could use an upgrade. Replacing Greg Olsen isn’t an easy task and the team is in a good place at the other offensive positions, especially at wide receiver and running back.
Having a solid tight end is important in the offense Joe Brady will run — just look at the Saints over the past couple years. Thomas might be up to the task, but he had some big drops when he got opportunities in 2019. How much the Panthers address the hole at tight end left by Olsen will depend on if the coaching staff wants to give Thomas a chance to prove what he can do.
Defensive Tackle
This seems like a position that at this point the Panthers will try to address in the draft. The interior of the defensive line is a major problem. There’s Kawann Short and then some question marks. The team lost Dontari Poe, Gerald McCoy and Vernon Butler in free agency. That’s a lot of holes to fill for a defense that gave up the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL last year (31) and the most yards per carry (5.2). But, on a positive note, they did have the second-most sacks in the league (53).
Carolina signed former Cardinals DL Zach Kerr this week, and at 6-foot-2, 334 pounds, he gives the Panthers some size on the line, but he’s not an answer to fixing it after he had 19 tackles and zero sacks in 2019. More stability is needed or opposing offenses will run all over the Panthers once again.
Cornerback
Who is starting opposite Donte Jackson? Corn Elder? Dominique Hatfield? The Panthers have not addressed this position in free agency, but they did lose one of their best defensive players from last year with James Bradberry signing a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the Giants.
This needs to be addressed somehow, whether it’s through free agency or the draft. There’s a couple of good defensive linemen early in the draft (Javon Kinlaw, Derrick Brown), so maybe cornerback is a position they attack on Day 2 (although Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah at seventh overall could be an interesting option). But adding a free agent wouldn’t be a bad option either. Replacing Bradberry is no easy task and they could use help behind Jackson, who has shown promise despite a rough end to 2019.
On top of that, the Panthers’ secondary will be young and inexperienced outside of Tre Boston, who signed a three-year deal last week. Fifth-year strong safety Juston Burris will start, but he has jumped around to cornerback and safety throughout his career and still has more to prove.
The Panthers are signing younger players who have potential, but they need more depth with development players. Defensive back Ross Cockrell is still a free agent. He’s versatile and could help on and off the field; he’d make a lot of sense to re-sign.
Other positions to address: Edge, depth at linebacker
Required reading
+ Fowler: The Panthers aren’t built to win, but Teddy Bridgewater has no tolerance for defeat
+ Teddy Bridgewater knows he’s not Cam Newton. He’s ready to prove himself with Panthers
+ Fowler: Cam Newton’s legacy with Panthers and the Carolinas comes down to one 3-letter word
+ The Panthers’ QB depth situation created by Teddy Bridgewater replacing Cam Newton
+ Carolina Panthers release quarterback Cam Newton after failing to find a trade partner
+ Panthers sign wide receiver Robby Anderson, another former Temple player, to 2-year deal
+ Sorensen: Cam Newton could rub fans and teammates the wrong way, but everyone knew he was special
+ UPDATED: Panthers free agency tracker
