4 positions the Carolina Panthers could draft more than once in 2022
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers could select DE more than once
Losing Haason Reddick in free agency is sure to leave a gaping hole for the Carolina Panthers moving forward. The stud pass-rusher gained 11 sacks in 2021 and the decision to let him test the free-agent market was surprising and concluded with the Temple product quickly signing a $45 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles soon after the legal tampering period got underway.
This piles additional pressure on Brian Burns to pick up the slack. The former first-round pick went to the Pro Bowl last season for the first time and another year of further progress could see the defensive end get a bumper new deal as a result.
Much will depend on how Yetur Gross-Matos and Marquis Haynes cope with more responsibility. But it would be a huge shock if the Panthers didn’t address their options in this area of the field during the 2022 NFL Draft.
Taking one at No. 6 overall hasn’t been entirely dismissed and the Panthers have brought in Travon Walker for a visit. However, this is expected to be a deep class and something that could see Carolina scoop up one or two individuals with the ability to contribute further down the pecking order.
No NFL team can ever have enough players capable of generating consistent pressure. Reddick was one of the best around based on the last two campaigns, so it will be interesting to see how the Panthers go about replicating his production.