Where do the Carolina Panthers need to upgrade the most?

COLUMN: Where do the Carolina Panthers need to upgrade the most?
Written by Steve Reed
4/1/2009 5:16:06 PM

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CHARLOTTE -- Think adding a quarterback is Carolina's top priority this off-season. I'm not buying it. Here, in my opinion, are the Panthers top 10 needs as the NFL draft approaches and the second wave (or is it the third?) of free agency begins.

Anyway, here's something to chew on until some genuine news actually breaks out of Panthers camp this off-season.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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