2018-2019 Carolina Panthers Depth Chart

[Chardee MacDennis]

Not sure if I am posting this image correctly, but I figured we could use this to track the depth chart changes throughout the off-season. I made an Excel spreadsheet based on something another posted put up last off-season. 

On the right, it shows the differences between this year and next. 

Looks to me like the needs are:

1. Secondary- all of it.

2. DE and DT

3. Replacement for TD

4. OG

5. RB

6. Replace Kalil

7. WR

8. Young TE

9. Backup QB

In no particular order. That's like 10-11 new faces needed. There has to be a focus on getting multiple Free Agents on value deals to fill those holes.

[UpstatePanther]

Yeah thanks for posting this. I'm now convinced our biggest need is Safety/guard. Not sure which is greater but I'm thinking guard. We can't have Silatolu being our starting LG all season. And safety is now decimated. Perhaps we'll finally address that position. 

Point is though, idk how you can look at at this and say that WR is our greatest need. Funchess will be fine. Byrd and Samuel are both burners that are coming off injury. CMC has proven he can handle alot of the slot duty, and Shepard can round out our corps save for the vet presence that Rivera talked about bringing in. WR is NOT what will keep us from winning games next year

[bewonee]

11 minutes ago, UpstatePanther said:

Yeah thanks for posting this. I'm now convinced our biggest need is Safety/guard. Not sure which is greater but I'm thinking guard. We can't have Silatolu being our starting LG all season. And safety is now decimated. Perhaps we'll finally address that position. 

Point is though, idk how you can look at at this and say that WR is our greatest need. Funchess will be fine. Byrd and Samuel are both burners that are coming off injury. CMC has proven he can handle alot of the slot duty, and Shepard can round out our corps save for the vet presence that Rivera talked about bringing in. WR is NOT what will keep us from winning games next year

I'd just roll with Moton at guard tbh. Safety.. on the other hand..

[Camp Fodder]

1 hour ago, UpstatePanther said:

Yeah thanks for posting this. I'm now convinced our biggest need is Safety/guard. Not sure which is greater but I'm thinking guard. We can't have Silatolu being our starting LG all season. And safety is now decimated. Perhaps we'll finally address that position. 

Point is though, idk how you can look at at this and say that WR is our greatest need. Funchess will be fine. Byrd and Samuel are both burners that are coming off injury. CMC has proven he can handle alot of the slot duty, and Shepard can round out our corps save for the vet presence that Rivera talked about bringing in. WR is NOT what will keep us from winning games next year

Shepard doesn’t round out anything.  Bersin is 10 times better than Shepard

[cardiaccat52]

Ugh...I know FA is a factor, but for as much emphasis as DG tried to put on the "hog-mollies"...the projected D & O-lines look very unimpressive. 

[Dhagans06]

1 hour ago, UpstatePanther said:

Yeah thanks for posting this. I'm now convinced our biggest need is Safety/guard. Not sure which is greater but I'm thinking guard. We can't have Silatolu being our starting LG all season. And safety is now decimated. Perhaps we'll finally address that position. 

Point is though, idk how you can look at at this and say that WR is our greatest need. Funchess will be fine. Byrd and Samuel are both burners that are coming off injury. CMC has proven he can handle alot of the slot duty, and Shepard can round out our corps save for the vet presence that Rivera talked about bringing in. WR is NOT what will keep us from winning games next year

I get what your saying but....If you cant score points it all means nothing

[Adb6368]

I believe Shaq is TD's replacement so we need a Shaq replacement who can come in and play somewhere between 25-40% of snaps a game (Shaq played 50% because he was a first-rounder)

Also, looking at the list, the only starter caliber positions we need a pickup from is guard, secondary (probably 1 safety and 1 cornerback although if we roll with the same CBs I would expect much better results this year), and WR. Guard and safety usually are not as high priced as their counterparts (tackles and cornerbacks) so I don't see a problem there. I am most intrigued (as with every other Panthers fan) as to what we end up doing at the WR position.

[RumHam]

YOu're way off. Peppers, Dickson and Bersin are gone and Larsen would play LG. We need secondary help outside of receiver. If DaeShon Hall comes back and is good, then that would be great. We can find someone suitable and cheap at end if Peppers doens't come back.

[Chardee MacDennis]

15 minutes ago, RumHam said:

YOu're way off. Peppers, Dickson and Bersin are gone and Larsen would play LG. We need secondary help outside of receiver. If DaeShon Hall comes back and is good, then that would be great. We can find someone suitable and cheap at end if Peppers doens't come back.

Listen RumHam, I will call upon you when I'm floating in the ocean hallucinating and want a quick bite to eat. 

I didn't realize Dixon was a free agent?

[UpstatePanther]

31 minutes ago, Dhagans06 said:

I get what your saying but....If you cant score points it all means nothing

You can't score points if your drives go no where cus DTs are eating up your LG and getting pressure on every down. I see what you're saying too, but the argument goes both ways and frankly, there's more promise with Funchess, Byrd, Samuel, CMC, and some vet at WR than there is with Amino Silatolu at LG with literally no one to back him up (or preferably supplant him).

[Mr. Scot]

16 minutes ago, Chardee MacDennis said:

I didn't realize Dixon was a free agent?

He is, and Rivera has indicated that he'd like to keep Derek Anderson as the backup.

Don't know if that's going to happen, but that's his preference.

[MHS831]

Here is how I see it:

Looks to me like the needs are:

1. Secondary- all of it.  I think we move Bradberry to cover the #2, Worley to FS,( even though I have not heard this from Panthers), and we draft a S and sign a S in free agency.  So, we draft CB early--a starter--and a S.  Forgotten players from our own roster that will be in play:  CB Corn Elder and S Demetrius Cox-both depth.  DRAFT: CB very early, S middle rounds

2. DE and DT  With Horton improving, Hall is the wildcard.  Horton had a good year, and Addison is in his prime.  We must sign Peppers and Hall needs to play.  This is not the year to draft a DE--weak.  At DT, I expect a lower-end free agent. Forgotten player on the roster:  Bryan Cox Jr.  DRAFT: Defensive Tackle in the seventh

3. Replacement for TD  With 3 starting-caliber LBs on the roster, it is a bit hard to see how TD can play a reduced role.  We could draft a LB, but I see this position ignored for more pressing needs.  DRAFT: Maybe, but doubtful

4. OG: This is actually our biggest need.  There might be about 4-5 starting guards in the draft, so the Panthers need to draft one early.  Maybe a G to convert to C next year, like Price or Daniels.  Maybe a free agent. I think we draft a G/C.  DRAFT: G early

5. RB:  You cannot ignore RB because this draft is loaded, but I would like to see CAP get a long look.  Because we have CAP, this pick may not come until round 3, but we will draft a RB.  DRAFT: RB middle rounds

6. Replace Kalil By drafting 2019's possible center in 2018 to play G for a year, the next center gets to learn for a year under an established veteran.  Larsen is not that bad, so this does not need to be addressed with so many other needs.  DRAFT: maybe, but unlikely this year

7. WR:  Free agent will be added during the second week of free agency, I  am guessing.  If not, we will draft a WR in the first or second round.  DRAFT: Unlikely early, but maybe a WR late if we sign a free agent.

8. Young TE  I think this is our fifth round selection.  Smythe or Schultz is my guess.  DRAFT:  5th or 6th round

9. Backup QB  I hear this is a free agency situation, but I do not see it as something we can do if we meet needs.  If Cam goes down, like the situation with nearly every other team in the NFL, so does our season.  Anderson has lost his fire and would suck if needed.  Develop Gilbert and convince JT Barnett to sign as an Undrafted free agent.

ROUND 1:  CB or G

ROUND 2: G or CB

ROUND 3: S and RB

ROUND 5: TE

ROUND 6: WR

ROUND 7: OG/C and DT

FREE AGENCY:  WR, DT, DE (Peppers), S

OPENING DAY ROSTER

FS: Free agent, Cox

SS: Draft pick, Worley  (Adams cut)

CB: Draft pick, Bradberry, Munnerlyn, Elder, Seymour

LB: Kuechly, Davis, Thompson, Mayo, Norris, Jacobs

DT: Short, Butler, Love, Free agent, late draft pick

DE: Addison, Horton, Hall, Peppers, Cox Jr.

----

QB: Newton, Gilbert, Free agent

RB: McCaffrey, CAP, Draft Pick, Ansah (FB)

WR: Free Agent, Funchess, Samuel, Byrd, Sheperd (Good special teamer, #5 WR), Late Draft Pick

TE: Olsen, Manhertz, Draft pick

OT: Kalil, Williams, Moton, Clausell

OG: Turner, Early Draft pick, Van Roten, Late draft Pick

OC: Kalil, Larsen

 

If we do not sign a good WR in free agency, this plan comes unglued because we would draft WR early.

 

[MHS831]

38 minutes ago, RumHam said:

YOu're way off. Peppers, Dickson and Bersin are gone and Larsen would play LG. We need secondary help outside of receiver. If DaeShon Hall comes back and is good, then that would be great. We can find someone suitable and cheap at end if Peppers doens't come back.

There are a lot of unknowns, that is for sure.

[Mr. Scot]

4 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Here is how I see it:

Looks to me like the needs are:

1. Secondary- all of it.  I think we move Bradberry to cover the #2, Worley to FS,( even though I have not heard this from Panthers), and we draft a S and sign a S in free agency.  So, we draft CB early--a starter--and a S.  Forgotten players from our own roster that will be in play:  CB Corn Elder and S Demetrius Cox-both depth.  DRAFT: CB very early, S middle rounds

2. DE and DT  With Horton improving, Hall is the wildcard.  Horton had a good year, and Addison is in his prime.  We must sign Peppers and Hall needs to play.  This is not the year to draft a DE--weak.  At DT, I expect a lower-end free agent. Forgotten player on the roster:  Bryan Cox Jr.  DRAFT: Defensive Tackle in the seventh

3. Replacement for TD  With 3 starting-caliber LBs on the roster, it is a bit hard to see how TD can play a reduced role.  We could draft a LB, but I see this position ignored for more pressing needs.  DRAFT: Maybe, but doubtful

4. OG: This is actually our biggest need.  There might be about 4-5 starting guards in the draft, so the Panthers need to draft one early.  Maybe a G to convert to C next year, like Price or Daniels.  Maybe a free agent. I think we draft a G/C.  DRAFT: G early

5. RB:  You cannot ignore RB because this draft is loaded, but I would like to see CAP get a long look.  Because we have CAP, this pick may not come until round 3, but we will draft a RB.  DRAFT: RB middle rounds

6. Replace Kalil By drafting 2019's possible center in 2018 to play G for a year, the next center gets to learn for a year under an established veteran.  Larsen is not that bad, so this does not need to be addressed with so many other needs.  DRAFT: maybe, but unlikely this year

7. WR:  Free agent will be added during the second week of free agency, I  am guessing.  If not, we will draft a WR in the first or second round.  DRAFT: Unlikely early, but maybe a WR late if we sign a free agent.

8. Young TE  I think this is our fifth round selection.  Smythe or Schultz is my guess.  DRAFT:  5th or 6th round

9. Backup QB  I hear this is a free agency situation, but I do not see it as something we can do if we meet needs.  If Cam goes down, like the situation with nearly every other team in the NFL, so does our season.  Anderson has lost his fire and would suck if needed.  Develop Gilbert and convince JT Barnett to sign as an Undrafted free agent.

ROUND 1:  CB or G

ROUND 2: G or CB

ROUND 3: S and RB

ROUND 5: TE

ROUND 6: WR

ROUND 7: OG/C and DT

FREE AGENCY:  WR, DT, DE (Peppers), S

OPENING DAY ROSTER

FS: Free agent, Cox

SS: Draft pick, Worley  (Adams cut)

CB: Draft pick, Bradberry, Munnerlyn, Elder, Seymour

LB: Kuechly, Davis, Thompson, Mayo, Norris, Jacobs

DT: Short, Butler, Love, Free agent, late draft pick

DE: Addison, Horton, Hall, Peppers, Cox Jr.

----

QB: Newton, Gilbert, Free agent

RB: McCaffrey, CAP, Draft Pick, Ansah (FB)

WR: Free Agent, Funchess, Samuel, Byrd, Sheperd (Good special teamer, #5 WR), Late Draft Pick

TE: Olsen, Manhertz, Draft pick

OT: Kalil, Williams, Moton, Clausell

OG: Turner, Early Draft pick, Van Roten, Late draft Pick

OC: Kalil, Larsen

 

If we do not sign a good WR in free agency, this plan comes unglued because we would draft WR early.

 

What do you do if Marcus Davenport drops to 24?