2011 NFL Draft Team Needs: Carolina Panthers

by Matthew Fairburn on Mar 18, 2011 7:04 PM EDT in Mocking the NFC South

Following a season that produced a league worst 2-14 record, the Carolina Panthers have a lot of work to do on both sides of the football. Head coach John Fox was let go, which was the first step towards rebuilding the franchise. Ron Rivera takes over for the Panthers, and will get to begin his new regime with a number one overall draft pick. With needs all across the board, the Panthers could go a number of different directions with the first pick.

Quarterback is the first and most important question mark on Carolina's roster. Jimmy Clausen was drafted in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but displayed horrid body language and showed little promise as a passer or a leader in his rookie season. Talk of the Panthers taking a quarterback off of the board with the first pick has been heating up recently.

Despite Clausen's uninspiring season, he was not completely to blame for Carolina's offensive struggles in 2010. The team also lacked a true number one receiver. Steve Smith had a pedestrian 2010 campaign, and the Panthers don't have much behind him on the depth chart. Neither David Gettis or Brandon LaFell has shown the ability to be a go to receiver.

Assessing Carolina's needs would not be complete without addressing a defense that allowed 123 rushing yards per game. The defensive line has to be the main area of concern. Charles Johnson has not yet been resigned after collecting 12 sacks last season. Also, both defensive tackle positions need to be filled. If a quarterback is not the first overall pick, odds are a defensive lineman will be the selection.

After the jump check out the top three needs for the Carolina Panthers

1. Defensive Line - With a complete lack of talent at both defensive tackle positions, and the potential of Charles Johnson hitting the open market, Carolina's defensive line needs to be rebuilt. They cannot afford to let Charles Johnson slip away. Everette Brown showed some life at the end of the season, but he collected only four sacks all season and will not be able to fill Johnson's shoes. Da'Quan Bowers, Nick Fairley, and Marcell Dareus are all options with the number one pick. You gotta get the big guys early.

2. Quarterback - Jimmy Clausen may not have been given a fair shot at being the franchise quarterback, but in his limited action he gave coaches and fans little reason to believe he will ever be more than an NFL backup. The lack of talent around him was an issue, but that does not excuse Clausen's poor attitude. Blaine Gabbert delivered a knock out performance at his pro day, and looks the part of a franchise quarterback. New regimes mean new quarterbacks and if a team doesn't have a franchise quarterback they are best suited to draft one if he is available. It comes down to whether or not Ron Rivera and his staff believe that Gabbert is a franchise caliber quarterback.

3. Wide Receiver - The Carolina Panthers have a stable of young receivers that have amounted to close to nothing at the NFL level. To add insult to injury, long time go-to-guy Steve Smith appears to have hit the twilight of his career. Whether it's Jimmy Clausen, Blaine Gabbert, or Cam Newton under center for the Panthers in 2011, they need to surround their young franchise quarterback with some legitimate weapons to work with.

Poll

What is Carolina's biggest need this offseason?

Quarterback

109 votes

Defensive Line

99 votes

Wide Receiver

37 votes

Other (Explain in Comments)

4 votes

249 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Defensive tackle is extremely deep for 4-3 teams this year.

QB is not

"We feel very strongly that our best policy is to draft the best player. This isn't fantasy football." - Ted Thompson

by Steve_Chiefs on Mar 18, 2011 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

The Panthers don't have a second round pick.

I don’t think the DT is good enough for there to be a starting DT in round 3.

Kellen Moore is awesome
Katie Mcgrath is our savior
my dog <3

by manraj7 on Mar 18, 2011 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Panthers

are desperate for a franchise QB at this point. Franchise QBs though are a luxury piece for the team. They might be the hardest to find and I don’t see good candidates in this draft. I think an experienced veteran QB would be useful and remains a clear need.

by pieterzen on Mar 19, 2011 1:42 AM EDT reply actions

AJ Green

If Carolina had a 2nd Round Pick, then I would say draft DL and get a WR like Jonathon Baldwin in the 2nd Round. Unfortunately, they don’t have a 2nd Round Pick. That means, if they draft ANOTHER QB early, he will be in the very same situation Clausen was in last year….Minus Steve Smith. Now, I’m not exactly high on Clausen, but he wasn’t given a fair chance with the OL being a trainwreck it was. Give him a weapon and see if he improves. If he doesn’t, then you know what to do. You can’t give up on him this early if you didn’t give him a fair chance to succeed. Draft AJ Green in the 1st Round, and build off of that. None of the QB’s in this draft are great and sure things. Had Andrew Luck declared, maybe my opinion would be different. However, Luck is returning. So if I were Carolina, I would give Clausen another season. See if he improves with a weapon in Green and a healthy OL.

Superbowl Champs Baby!!!!!

13 World Championships, soon to be 14 after next season...GUARANTEED!!!!!

Nuff said....

by Jabooty on Mar 19, 2011 1:58 AM EDT reply actions

Get Gabbert or Peterson in the 1st

Then get Marvin Austin or Greg Little in the 3rd

Or we could always trade down and get more picks (I prefer this)

by rscott94 on Mar 19, 2011 3:22 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

It would be best if Carolina trades down. It’s unlikely though considering the point value of the 1st Overall Pick. It they could trade back to like the #5-10 spot and get a 2nd Round Pick in the same area, that would be great. Not sure what the point value is on that trade though. Even if it’s not enough, I’d take it. Carolina needs a 2nd Round Pick.

Assuming they can’t trade down, I think they have to go offense in the 1st Round. Peterson will be a good CB for years to come, but that won’t do Carolina any good if it’s going to take 3 or 4 years to get their offense rolling again. They could get Gabbert, but that’d be putting him into a tough situation. At least the OL will be healthy again, but he’ll be without Steve Smith and without a 2nd Round Pick, they won’t be able to compensate for that loss. I think it would be best if they draft AJ Green. Give Clausen a fair chance to succeed with a healthy OL and a good WR to rely on. If Clausen can’t improve in only his 2nd Season with Green and a healthy OL, then it’s time to move on. Not only that, but this isn’t the ideal draft to be targeting QB’s. Green will be a weapon for years to come, so whether it’s Clausen or any other new Franchise QB they bring in, Green will be there to be the QB’s Go to Guy.

Superbowl Champs Baby!!!!!

13 World Championships, soon to be 14 after next season...GUARANTEED!!!!!

Nuff said....

by Jabooty on Mar 19, 2011 4:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Everyone talks about trading down

Like its always an option. Its not that easy to just trade down especially out of the first spot. If we dont have free agency before the draft I dont think many teams will be willing to sacrifice picks if they dont know they can fill other needs through free agency or trades. Teams not being able to package players probably makes trades even more unlikely.

by CMoney87 on Mar 19, 2011 5:15 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Too many problems.

They have so many holes, they should explore trading down, but its gonna be really tough to find a trade partner. The only possibilty it seems is the Pats who have a billion picks, so they might want AJ Green. If they cant trade down, they should take Patrick Peterson.

I gots to put the team on my back, doo.

by BlackPack-fan on Mar 19, 2011 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

QB Gabbert in the 1st and DT Jarvis Jenkins in the 3rd!

Without a CBA… the Draft is the only way to help a team!

Draft picks will be at a premium. I doubt that we’ll see many trades this year (maybe in the lower rounds), as teams cling to their picks as if they were gold.

QB Gabbert is the best of the group. He’s an upgrade from Clausen and could be a franchise QB for the next few years. Clausen can back him up or trade him after a CBA is signed.

DT Jarvis Jenkins is a monster. He is underrated and thus will be there at the 3rd. He is the reason Da’Quan Bowers had so many sacks. Who do you think opened those holes for Bowers to run through?

by 1x1an on Mar 20, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

WR is not a "need"

LaFell and Gettis showed a lot of promise. Armanti Edwards has been doing well in his development (so I hear), and has learned all 3 WR positions.

DT is a need. CB is a need. Better play at QB is a need, I don’t think that means we should draft one. RG is a need, Duke hasn’t done anything yet. He has been on IR for 2 years in a row now. He is like 6’5" 330lbs. though. I would love for him to get his act together. So that is DT, CB, RG, and I guess you could say QB if you want.

I can’t even explain all the bs that was going on last year. I could, but I’m not. You would just have to follow the team for a few years and watch every game to know what was going on. From the outside looking in, it seems a lot worse than it really is.

Loving the young group of "Teachers"

by Steve785 on Mar 20, 2011 5:07 PM EDT reply actions