What needs do the Carolina Panthers need to fill during the 2023 NFL Draft?
With the regular season concluded, the Carolina Panthers now shift their focus toward the offseason. More specifically, the 2023 NFL Draft.
The draft is one of the most drama-filled, yet highly-anticipated events in sports. This is due to the amount of hype surrounding high-profile college prospects who have displayed their worth to be selected high and to be one of the potential reasons their new respective professional teams reach the promised land.
The draft process features multiple events precluding the event itself, with all-star events such as the NFLPA Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game, and the Senior Bowl. Following these is the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This is where teams will get their first glances and opportunities to talk to prospects that could be potential fits for their franchise while demonstrating their athletic ability.
Carolina will be going through this exact process as well as 31 other teams. As of right now, there has yet to be a head coach named for the franchise as the Senior Bowl approaches. Once that new appointment is confirmed, he may have plenty of influence as to what type of players end up on the Panthers.
The organization is entering a very crucial offseason with plenty of needs on both sides of the ball. However, they are not far off from being a contender.
With that in mind, here are four draft needs the Panthers must fill during the upcoming NFL Draft in late April.
Carolina Panthers must draft an edge rusher
Last offseason, the Carolina Panthers took a gamble by letting productive pass rusher Hasson Reddick walk in free agency and go forward with the group of Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes Sr., Henry Anderson, and Amare Barno opposite Brian Burns.
The result? Reddick signs with the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $45 million contract and finishes second in the NFL with 16.5 sacks. Carolina’s aforementioned group finished with 9.5 sacks combined as Burns himself racked up 12.5 on the year.
It was an underwhelming and disappointing result for the Panthers, whose gamble failed spectacularly. This leaves them with a serious edge need this offseason.
Thankfully, this is a draft class that features a bevy of talent at the position. The group is headlined by Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr, a favorite to be the first player selected in the upcoming draft.
Clemson’s Myles Murphy and Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson are potential first-round options for the Panthers should they target the position early. Both players are terrific athletes who offer plenty of upside as future No. 1 or No. 2 pass rushers.
The best spot for the Panthers to select a pass-rusher could be rounds two and three. In this scenario, they could find themselves targeting underrated players such as Auburn’s Derick Hall, TCU’s Dylan Horton, and Appalachian State’s Nick Hampton.
There are plenty of options to choose from in this group. It’s a position general manager Scott Fitterer should seriously consider targeting via the draft considering how expensive productive defensive ends are on the free-agent market.
Carolina Panthers must draft a TE
Remember when Ian Thomas was supposed to be the next great Carolina Panthers tight end? Or when Tommy Tremble was projected to be a big-time playmaker for the offense in 2022?
Unfortunately, none of those things ended up occurring. Thomas has been largely unproductive and inconsistent despite receiving a three-year extension this past offseason while Tremble hasn’t exactly shown much on his rookie deal so far.
It would be risky to go into the 2023 season with these two as your top two players at the position. Competitions and fresh faces are needed. This is why the Panthers must draft a tight end during the upcoming cycle.
The franchise has been looking for consistency at the tight end spot since Greg Olsen left town. Thankfully, this year’s draft class offers an intriguing group of players that could be future starters at the next level.
First, there is Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer. He’s arguably the best tight end in the draft thanks to his great ball skills, run-after-catch ability, and blocking prowess as an in-line player.
There is also Georgia’s Darnell Washington. A 6-foot-7, 265+ pound monster who is probably the best blocking tight end and freak of nature in the 2023 NFL Draft.
After those two, the second and third rounds of the draft will offer high-upside players such as Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft, and Alabama’s Cameron Latu.
Fitterer has tight-end options in free agency and the draft. It’s not a bad offseason to acquire one in either scenario.
Carolina Panthers must draft a WR
After trading Robbie Anderson, the Carolina Panthers are looking for another wide receiver to compliment their top playmaker, D.J. Moore. The team has two wideouts behind the former Maryland Terrapin that proved to be important pieces going forward, however.
Terrace Marshall Jr. and Laviska Sheanult Jr. play their respective roles well. The LSU product is the team’s Z-receiver while the former Jacksonville Jaguar is specifically a gadget player that can be used in a variety of roles on offense.
This means that Carolina’s slot receiver role is up for grabs this off-season after a very inconsistent campaign from Shi Smith. The team is in need of a playmaker at the position. Thankfully, there are plenty of those in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It is another year of talented receiver prospects including USC’s Jordan Addison, TCU’s Quentin Johnston, and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. All three could see themselves selected within the first 20 picks.
I currently see Addison as the No. 1 player at the position as I continue evaluations.
As for receivers that may fit the slot role, North Carolina’s Josh Downs, Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, Cincinnati’s Tyler Scott, and Oklahoma’s Marvin Mims Jr. could be immediate contributors as rookies.
If the Panthers are looking for another pass-catching weapon, they will not have any trouble finding one from the college ranks.
Carolina Panthers must draft a QB
If you follow me on Twitter, you will know how adamant I’ve been about this topic. It’s time for the Carolina Panthers to draft a franchise quarterback.
There was the initial signing of Teddy Bridgewater, the acquisition and failed experiment of Sam Darnold while passing on Justin Fields in the 2021 draft, the trade for Baker Mayfield, and occasional starts by P.J. Walker. All this led to constant turmoil at football’s most important position.
The franchise is in an ample position to make a move for one of the top rookie quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. This is thanks to the capital acquired in the Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey trades.
They have the ammunition to trade up. But the Panthers must consider the teams ahead of them that may not need a quarterback early in the draft.
Many are already aware of the four big-name quarterbacks in this upcoming draft class. Alabama’s Bryce Young is the top prospect, which means there is a possibility the Panthers trade up to the No. 1 overall selection to get him with the Houston Texans lurking at No. 2.
There is also Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, a prospect with great intangibles and traits across the board. The signal-caller’s terrific showing in the college football playoff against Georgia left no doubt surrounding his NFL potential.
Then there are the two raw prospects. Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson.
Both will need time to develop as neither seems ready to start from the jump. However, I’m willing to argue that Richardson could start sooner thanks in part to his pocket navigation skills, field vision, and elite athleticism.
Levis, on the other hand, suffers from inconsistency issues pertaining to ball security, lower-half mechanics, and accuracy. Even so, his problems are coachable and Carolina could be the right destination.
The time is now. With the roster in place to take over the NFC South, landing a quarterback prospect should be the team’s No. 1 priority in the upcoming NFL Draft.