3 ideal draft scenarios for the Carolina Panthers in 2022
By Dean Jones
What are some ideal scenarios for the Carolina Panthers during what’s sure to be an eventful 2022 NFL Draft for the franchise?
The 2022 NFL Draft is an important one for the Carolina Panthers despite the organization possessing little in the way of high-end selections. Another disappointing season for Matt Rhule and his players has many wondering whether things can turn around under the current regime, which only raises the stakes for a head coach that is under increasing pressure during what looks to be a tough-looking schedule next time around.
One thing the Panthers do have is a top pick at No. 6 overall. The front office picked up some nice additions in free agency to shrink their list of needs, so there are just one or two prominent positions left to fill before Carolina’s roster looks strong enough to make a better fight of things, at the very least.
Finding an elite left tackle that can finally fill the void left by Jordan Gross is a big priority, one suspects. Carolina can no longer rely on a revolving door of underperforming veterans and this does appear to be a strong class of blindside protectors based on projections.
The same cannot be said of the quarterback class, which isn’t littered with immediate contributors. While it would be a surprise if one or two didn’t go on to have successful careers at the next level, the need for instant improvements means that the Panthers could take a significant gamble by utilizing their first-round selection on a signal-caller reach.
There could be some twists and turns to come before the selection process begins next month. Here are three ideal scenarios that the Panthers could benefit from during the draft.