5 biggest Panthers’ 2021 NFL Draft needs at the midseason point
By Dean Jones
2021 NFL Draft needs for the Carolina Panthers at the midseason point.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Carolina Panthers so far. There have been some encouraging signs to come out of a difficult schedule at the midseason point, but it is evident much more will be needed if they want to enter the postseason discussion sooner rather than later.
In truth, the three-game winning run without star running back Christian McCaffrey probably raised expectations to a level that the Carolina Panthers are simply not capable of reaching yet. Matt Rhule has done a nice job of bringing a new-look roster together quickly in the most unprecedented of circumstances, but they do have some glaring holes that need to be addressed during another offseason of critical importance in 2019.
Depending on the salary cap situation relating to COVID-19 losses, the Panthers should be more prominent players in the market. But building through the NFL Draft is the hallmark of any great franchise and this is something Carolina must also continue to do successfully.
They’ve had some nice production from their top-end picks this season. Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos have shown flashes of what they could bring to the organization going forward, with the production of Jeremy Chinn fast becoming one of the season’s undoubted highlights.
General manager Marty Hurney, Rhule, and other decision-makers must get their next batch of college recruits right to further speed up the rebuilding process. Here are some of the top priorities they need to focus on at the halfway point of the 2020 campaign.