4 prospects in play if Carolina Panthers trade down from No. 8

Gregory Rousseau – DE (Miami)

Another area where the Carolina Panthers might need to explore is regarding their pass-rush. There were some noticeable strides made in this area during the second half of the campaign after being virtually non-existent early on. But getting another formidable presence on the edge isn’t going to hurt their chances in the slightest.

Someone like Gregory Rousseau could be a candidate for this. The Miami defensive end opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 health concerns, and he has reportedly added some significant muscle mass according to people that saw the player at the Senior Bowl.

This opens up a variety of different avenues for Rousseau if he does end up in Carolina. Matt Rhule loves versatility in his players and even using him as a three-technique defensive tackle in obvious pass-rushing situations is a possibility,

There is also plenty of untapped promise where Rousseau is concerned. He has all the physical skills at his disposal and if the Panthers like what they see, the player can be molded into a commanding difference-maker on a defensive line that already has two studs in Derrick Brown and Brian Burns.

5 players whose time with the 2020 Panthers won’t be remembered

Which players who turned out for the Carolina Panthers in 2020 produced performances that were largely forgettable with the bigger picture in mind?

It isn’t a top priority for the Panthers. But if they can get a couple more picks it might see them in a position to take the best player available, which would be Rousseau in the mid-teens.