How many starters MUST the Panthers get from this draft?

[electro's horse]

if they don't do what the saints did last year we're looking at 2006 again. An old team without talent at the skill positions just disintegrating. 

[Pantha-kun]

I think we need 2 in the secondary

[MechaZain]

Need at least one. Two and we're in good shape.

[AU-panther]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

How many starters MUST they get.  I do not see any  that the MUST get.  My rationale:

1.  LG will be filled my Moton, a second rounder a year ago.  There are no other needs for starters on the OL (Kalil? jeez)

2.  FS - Searcy was not that bad at Tennessee, he simply lost a competition to a good player.  I expect that he will improve the position. 

3.  SS- Adams is a capable vet.  Is he old, yes.  He helped write the New Testament.  However, he is serviceable.  I think SS is our biggest need, fwiw, but we do not have to have a starter.

4. CB- Cockrell is pretty good and Bradberry will be better.  You could argue that we need a CB, but Josh Norman rode the pine his second year and he was less disciplined than Bradberry.  The blitzing was not good for him or anyone covering #1 WRs.

5. WR- We have Funchess who has improved every year.  We have a slot or two and a deep threat.  Hoping a rookie WR can come in as a #1 WR is a tall order.  Are we better than last year? Probably.

6. TE- Olsen. 

So there are no MUSTS, but I would love to see upgrades at WR, SS, FS, and MAYBE CB. 

^This, we get to play the games regardless of what happens in the draft.

With that being said though 2 rookie starters would be nice, 3 would be great.

Unfortunately though this is the kind of thinking that gets teams in trouble.  GMs convince themselves that they are 100% right about a player when history tells us the odds are way lower than that and they go off and do something stupid like trade up.

 

[Mr. Scot]

I'm not a big fan of going into a draft thinking you need to find immediate starters.

That's the kind of thinking that causes you to reach.

[CPF4LIFE]

I feel like a Wr, G, S in the first 3 rounds would be day one starters for us. Long as that wide receiver is Ridley. 

[Thama]

One. We need a day 1 starter at S.

Other positions even if good picks are likely to be rotational players year 1 and fill in later as starters in years 2-3. Barring absolute steals in the draft, that's what I would expect from DE, WR, OG, RB and probably CB. 

[Lumps]

It all depends on the position. If we don't hit on WR we need to hit on DB. And vice versa. Stop the other team from passing or be able to stretch the field ourselves, we need to walk away from this draft having a future doing at least one or the other. Both are huge for us. Hitting on both is really all that it needed.

Then, once those are taken care of a solid Olineman or pass rusher is needed. pass rusher is more important if a DB isn't hit and an Olineman is important if an offensive WR playmaker/starter can't be found. Ideally a solid wide receiver and starter in the defensive backfield are the two big hits we need. But I's settle for a hit on either and a solid DE/oline.

[heel31ok]

7 hours ago, La Pantera said:

we need 2 starters at minimum. The issue I see, is I only see two positions where a rookie will start. Safety and left guard. CB has the potential, if they beat Cockrell for #2 . A rookie WR will probably be 3rd/4th on the depth chart.

Don't see LG being held down by a rookie this year...

[The Lobo]

I think 2 is the magic number and both coming from the defensive backfield. On CB and one S would really be ideal. I know we need weapons for cam but we could add a TE or a Wr/rb for one of our picks in the third.

[mc52beast]

Hurney really needs to have a HOF type draft this year. I’m pretty sure whoever ends up buying the team will be aware of his past, and Hurney knows if he screws this up he’s history.

2-3 starters

[Snake]

At least 3 to compete because of how terrible Hurney played FA. 

[PantherCam213]

My concern is RR seems set on Silatolu at LG.  That would be a disaster, IMO. 

If RR can feel comfortable enough with Turner, maybe this will change before game 1.  It will be interesting to see what kind of influence Turner will have on the draft (not that we'll know, but maybe something will slip so we'll get an idea).

[PleaseCutStewart]

I think more important than starters is that we get at least 3-4 key contributors this season. If we can draft a CB, S, DE, OL, LB, and/or RB that can play meaningful minutes well, I would call that a success for the season.