Team Needs

[Delhommey]

According to Steve Reed. I've added some possibilities from the draft. Some of the top players may or may not fall to us. I left out top tier players we currently have no chance of getting (Jeremy Maclin. *spooge*) Feel free to discuss with some of your own ideas.

1. Defensive end. Even if the Panthers twist Julius Peppers’ arm and force him to play here this season (which I still don’t think will happen), they’re going to need to find a replacement because he’s clearly not in it this for the long haul. And there’s no such thing as having too many defensive ends. Tyler Brayton is a nice role player and Charles Johnson is improving, but the Panthers will need a legitimate pass rusher. If Peppers is traded, it only accentuates this need.

Larry English – Oh Please dear God

Clay Matthews

Jarron Gilbert

Cody Brown (rotational)

Robert Ayers (rotational)

David Veikune (rotational)

2. Cornerback. Is anyone else not quite sold on Richard Marshall? I thought Marshall was outstanding as a rookie and even thought he should be a starter back then, but he took some major steps back in the second half of last season. Now the Panthers are left with Chris Gamble and Marshall as starters and unproven C.J. Wilson as a backup. There are still a handful of proven veterans out there ready to sign if the Panthers can free themselves of the albatross that is Peppers’ $17 million contract.

Sean Smith

Jairus Byrd

Alphonso Smith

Captain Munnerlyn (nickel)

Coye Francis (nickel)

Victor Harris (nickel)

3. Defensive tackle. The Panthers need some depth here behind Maake Kemoeatu and Damione Lewis and if there is a position they’ll almost certainly address early in the draft it has to be this one. Ideally, Lewis would be more effective coming off the bench as a speed rusher on pass rushing downs. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Panthers spend a high draft pick here and then add a veteran player down the road. Last year, they signed two vets – Ian Scott and Darwin Walker – although neither really panned out. As the season progressed, injuries hit hard here and exposed the team’s lack of depth.

Peria Jerry

Ziggy Hood

Sen’derrick Marks

Chris Baker (rotational)

Ron Brace (rotational)

Alex Magee (rotational)

Ricky Jean-Francois (rotational)

4. Offensive linemen. Yes, linemen, not lineman. This is plural for a reason. The starting five is intact, but the Panthers lost their top three reserves leaving them with only last year’s seventh-round draft picks Mackenzy Bernadeau and Geoff Schwartz. Both have a year in Jeff Davidson’s system, which is nice, but neither has played in an NFL game and I'd be a little hesitant to count on them in a big game. At some point, the Panthers will have to add a veteran here as an insurance policy.

Duke Robinson

Andy Levitre

Trevor Canfield (possible head case)

Kraig Urbik (backup)

Cedric Dockery (back up)

5. Tight end. I’ve been saying for years the Panthers need a tight end who can run fast and catch the football, but for some reason upper management hasn’t addressed this need other than throwing fifth-round draft picks at the problem. Will the Panthers current regime address this situation in 2009? History suggests they won’t. That means at some point someone has to explain to me why having a guy who can stretch the middle of the field wouldn’t be a huge benefit for Steve Smith. Because I still don’t get it.

Cornelius Ingram

Shawn Nelson

Jared Cook

James Casey

6. Returner. Mark Jones wasn’t the fastest returner by any stretch (OK, he may have been one of the slowest) but he was consistent and improved as the season went on in ‘08. Now he’s gone, having signed with Tennessee as a free agent, leaving return duties to Ryne Robinson and/or Kenny Moore. I haven’t seen Moore in this role, but Robinson was a little hit-and-miss during his rookie season in 2007. And he’s coming off a knee injury. If the Panthers can land a top-notch returner in the third round I think they should go for it.

Brandon Tate

Derrick Williams

Percy Harvin

Juaquin Iglesias

7. Long snapper. It’s not a high-profile position at all, but there is something to be said for perfection -- which is all Jason Kyle has given the Panthers the past eight seasons. Kyle, a free agent, has been left twisting in the wind by the Panthers and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sign with Arizona. If the Panthers decide to go younger, I would offer this name as a warning: Jerry Jensen. Knowledgeable Carolina fans will tell you just how quickly a deficiency at this position can cost you a game or two.

Hell if I know. Barnidge?

8. Wide receiver. There are a lot of people who feel the Panthers need to upgrade at receiver, but I’m not following it. Smith is awesome and Mushin Muhammad is perfect for this offense because of his blocking ability. Why do you think DeAngelo Williams sprung so many long runs? Honestly, what needs to happen is Dwayne Jarrett to get out of his own head and step up and start playing like a man. Robinson should serve as the fourth receiver and since the Panthers never activate more than four receivers there really isn’t a need for anyone else. Personally, I’d rather have that game-breaking tight end.

Brandon Tate

Derrick Williams

Percy Harvin

Juaquin Iglesias

9. Quarterback. OK, I understand some of you have this as your number one priority (and I will never change your mind), but I’m thinking quarterback is way down the list of needs. Sure, Jake Delhomme was horrendous vs. Arizona in the playoffs, but the Panthers also got away from their game plan because the defense couldn’t stop anyone. The bottom line? Delhomme is a winner and this team’s leader. I throw out this reminder: He’s 49-30 as Carolina’s starting quarterback in the regular season and 5-3 in the postseason. At 34, the team needs to begin thinking about a long-term replacement, but he’ll be fine as a starter for the next few years.

Josh Freeman

Rhett Bomar

Tom Brandstater

John Parker Wilson

Stephen McGee

10. Fullback. Does anyone think it might be a good idea to have someone waiting in the wings just in case Brad Hoover’s beaten body gives out? Hoover’s been crashing into cement walls now for nine years and, believe it or not, he turns 33 this season. Yet he’s only missed two games this decade. Hoover is a super player, but given he’s such a vital cog in Carolina’s running game it might be time to develop a backup fullback just in case he begins to show some wear and tear.

Tony Fiammetta

Brannan Southerland

[Squirrel]

I agree with that order. Really dont need a QB and FB should have been taken care of last year. Dont think TE should be that high and dont really need another WR.

[Montsta]

If we draft Sean Smith, will his jersey read S. Smith? Or the whole name? Finally, a legitimate offseason discussion!

[SorthNarolina]

I like herman johnson alot at guard, last year we pretty much signed the biggest guards we could find to fill the RG position. I think we should draft the biggest guard we can find and try that out.

I think he will need some time to get into football shape and really take advantage of his size, because in the nfl guys will have no problem pushing 350+ pounds out of the way if he can't use his size properly.

Sand diego apparently is in love with him, so they probably wont let him get past the 3rd which makes it very hard to find a way to draft him.

I'd like to find a way to somehow get a 3rd above them and draft him. We'd be able to run on anybody like how the giants/steelers have been able to do.

Ron Brace and Sen'Derick Marks I like alot too, I wouldn't be dissapointed if we drafted them both if we have additional seconds

People shouldn't count us out of drafting a blue chip LB if one of them falls.

[Kurb]

I agree with that order. Really dont need a QB and FB should have been taken care of last year. Dont think TE should be that high and dont really need another WR.

:cry:

[rayzor]

in this order of importance, imo...

DT: Ron Brace, Jarron Gilbert, Sen'Derrick Marks, Terrance Taylor, Ricky Jean-Francois

DE: Tyson Jackson, Michael Johnson, Matt Shaughnessy, Connor Barwin

OL: Phil Loadholt, William Beatty, Herman Johnson, Andy Levitre, Kraig Urbik, Max Unger(the next hangman)

CB: Alphonso Smith, Darius Butler, Jairus Byrd, Victor Harris, Asher Allen

LS: UDFA...i don't know about many but i don't see the best group of them all being drafted.

FB: fiametta would be ok but i would rather look at FAs here.

QB: wait until next year.

WR: no needs. we are set.

returner: we have good choices here. special teams management was the bigger issue and i think a lot of that was resolved last year.

TE: we are set as well.

[Squirrel]

:cry:

Yep loyalty bit us in the ass on that one. Could have taken a good FB last year had 3 on the board.

[Delhommey]

Yep loyalty bit us in the ass on that one. Could have taken a good FB last year had 3 on the board.

Hillis was the only one I saw that was worth anything, and he's more a West Coast FB.

Schmidtt was the most overrated part time player since Sebastian Janikowski or Mike Nugent.

[Kurb]

..............

*faints*

[Squirrel]

Hillis was the only one I saw that was worth anything, and he's more a West Coast FB.

Schmidtt was the most overrated part time player since Sebastian Janikowski or Mike Nugent.

We will see Schmitt will be starting in Seattle this year. But point being we Kept Goings when we should have picked up one of the FB's from last year.

[CRA]

as far as TE goes.....we drafted the exact type guy you want last year.

[The Link]

People shouldn't count us out of drafting a blue chip LB if one of them falls.

I would be pissed.

[vumpler]

Holy poo I've never seen the situation be broken down so perfectly in 1 sentence

Honestly, what needs to happen is Dwayne Jarrett to get out of his own head and step up and start playing like a man.

[Fiz]

i did a mock draft on another forum with people who all know their teams really well and defensive tackles were flying off the board. in this draft we also couldn't make trades, just to speed the thing up.

i ended up taking sen'derrick marks with the panthers first pick (2nd round), who my auburn fan friend tells me would be an amazing steal and swears he'd have been a top ten talent if he'd returned for his senior year.

then again, auburn fans