Ryan Fitzgerald - Carolina Panthers PK
The life of a kicker is among the NFL's most precarious. Fortunes can enhance rapidly or disintegrate in the blink of an eye. That makes Ryan Fitzgerald's early production something to monitor as he goes in search of winning the starting job in 2025.
Those in power believe Fitzgerald could have something to offer. The Carolina Panthers moved swiftly to sign the former Florida State standout once the draft concluded. This also represents a fantastic landing spot for the player upon closer examination of the team's kicking situation.
Eddy Pineiro wasn't brought back after an inconsistent campaign in 2024. The Panthers penned veteran Matthew Wright to a one-year deal in free agency. This doesn't come with any guarantees regarding his status, so Fitzgerald must prove worthy enough to embark on a genuine competition over the summer.
This is something the Panthers tried last offseason. Harrison Mevis came in and seized the moment as Pineiro sat out. The rookie's exceptional transition forced the veteran back into the fold, and it wasn't long before the undrafted player was let go.
Fitzgerald will be hoping to avoid a similar fate. He made 100 percent of his kicks with the Seminoles last season and 97.8% of his extra points over five years, so confidence is high. But as with most kickers looking to make their way, there is almost no margin for error.
Cam Jackson - Carolina Panthers DL
The Panthers spent considerable resources on improving their defensive front this offseason. Dan Morgan spent huge sums in free agency to acquire Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. Carolina wasn't going to settle, not when there was such a rich group of college prospects to examine with nine picks at the general manager's disposal.
When the opportunity to acquire Cam Jackson presented itself at No. 140 overall, Morgan didn't hesitate. This represents another massive body for the defensive trenches, although this will likely be from a development project standpoint and a run-stuffing specialist initially.
Carolina now has two legitimate nose tackles for Ejiro Evero's 3-4 defensive scheme. After two years of deploying Shy Tuttle as the front's anchor, this represents a refreshing change of pace that fans have been clamoring for.
Jackson goes into a deep group of defensive linemen. Competition increased, and the standards were raised over the offseason. This will make everyone better, so the former Florida game-wrecker needs to hit the ground running en route to imposing his will.
The Panthers see something in Jackson. The likes of Tuttle, A'Shawn Robinson, Jaden Crumedy, and LaBryan Ray won't be giving up without a fight, so displaying dominance from the moment he steps onto the practice field is only going to aid his cause.