4 burning Carolina Panthers fan questions entering Week 4 vs. the Bengals

Early Carolina Panthers draft needs in 2025

It might be too early, but what are some draft needs?... - Hugo Logo

When a team is rebuilding, or retooling if that makes Dan Morgan and everyone else more comfortable to say, it's never too early to at least have an eye on the upcoming draft. Especially if we're not talking about specific prospects, but rather positions of need on the current roster.

The college football season still has so much left to be played. Injuries, breakout performances, and playoff standouts will all alter the landscape of the 2025 NFL Draft.

For the Carolina Panthers, there have already been areas in which we can readily see need improving for this team to take the next step. The first glaring fit is an edge defender.

Jadeven Clowney is the best option on the current roster and he's 31 years old with one more year under contract. Fellow former South Carolina Gamecock, D.J. Wonnum, also signed a two-year deal with the team this offseason. He's yet to see any action as he's been on injured reserve while he recovers from a setback to a torn quad.

Even if both of them perform to their peaks, the depth is bare. The draft class looks to have a handful of enticing collegiate players that fit a multitude of defensive schemes, so that's one position I'd expect them to look hard at. The other is wide receiver.

The organization traded up to select Xavier Legette in the first round in 2024, and his development will undoubtedly play into this scenario. But they also have a decision to make on Diontae Johnson and whether or not they'll attempt to re-sign him to a long-term contract.

Adam Thielen will be 35 years old at the start of next season and he's just been placed on injured reserve after suffering a serious hamstring injury while securing a beautiful touchdown reception in Week 3 from Andy Dalton. Fair to question his longevity with the team, regardless of his final year under contract.

Jonathan Mingo has a significant opportunity for at least these next four weeks with Thielen sidelined. The former second-rounder must try and make a case for himself as a key cog in the wideout room for the future. Can the Ole Miss product show that he's developed enough to make Morgan, Brandt Tillis, and Dave Canales comfortable moving forward with him as an impact contributor? We'll see.

And just to fire off a few other positions that should get plenty of attention: there is a lot of talent at the cornerback position for this draft class, and not a whole lot of it on this Panthers roster. The interior defensive line wouldn't hurt to upgrade. There's always left tackle - and to be candid, you can never have too much offensive line depth in general.

We will get a first-hand look at that with Damien Lewis nursing an elbow injury and set to miss at least one week. I'd be remiss if I didn't say this; Carolina could be back in the quarterback market in some fashion, as well.