The Carolina Panthers Offseason
2022 Dream Draft Pick: Evan Neal
The Carolina Panthers have lots of needs on the roster and could be a candidate to trade back but if their is a player that they would pull the trigger on in the NFL draft at 6th overall it would be Evan Neal. Neal is the drafts best pure offensive tackle prospect and whoever is quarterbacking the Carolina Panthers in 2022 would be safe and sound from blindside edge rushers with this mountain of a man mauling them with consistency. He's a potentially generational prospect at the offensive tackle position and the Panthers need one of those on their line.
The To-Do List
Resign Hasson Reddick AND d.J. Moore
The Carolina Panthers stole Haason Reddick in free agency after the Cardinals let him go and after 23.5 sacks the last two years in Carolina both off the edge and un the middle as a blitzer, the Panthers need to sign their best defensive player. Hasson Reddick has been quietly one of the best pass rushers in football and is certainly one of the more versatile players in the NFL and I don't know what they did in Arizona when they were using Reddick but Carolina certainly unlocked his gifts and have turned the former 13th overall pick into a potential game-wrecker. The Panthers also have Brian Burns on the roster will have to pay him down the line as well but this team has one of the most ferocious pass rushes in football when they are clicking together the future of this team could rely upon the Panthers ability to attack the quarterback. Another player that the Panthers need to resign is D.J. Moore because this receiver has probably gotten the toughest receptions and receiving of any wideout in football because he has had make catches from both Cam Newton, Sam Darnold, and a litany of other quarterbacks and often has had to do it without a running game or another receiver to help him take away coverage and if the reports are true that owner David Tepper loves himself some Kenny Pickett, Pickett's career will be a complete and total bust without D.J. Moore catching passes for him. D.J. Moore has been one the best receivers in football and has hit over 1000+ yards in each of his last three seasons and the Panthers would be crazy not to try and workout a deal with him because if he hits the free agent market, I would be shocked to see a 20,000,000 + deal for him.
Don't draft a quarterback 6th overall
I know David Tepper is new to the quarterback drafting game as he's only owned the Panthers for four seasons and hasn't had the opportunity to pick a quarterback in the first round but drafting Kenny Pickett, whom he's reportedly in love with as a quarterback, at the 6th overall pick is a big risk. Kenny Pickett is a decent quarterback prospect with high upside for sure but at 6th overall in the draft, you better be sure he's your guy and this quarterback has zero people that stand out as the #1 quarterback in this draft and there is a good chance that nobody in the quarterback class is going to an obvious pick. So what should Tepper and the Panthers do? In my opinion, I would give Darnold one last chance prove that he can be a starting NFL quarterback and draft an offensive lineman to block his blindside after they for some reason went in the direction of cornerback in the NFL draft and luckily for them they have a high enough pick to grab one of top offensive tackles in the draft with Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu, and Charles Cross potentially being available for them in the first round and the quarterback class in 2021 certainly isn't as hyped as the incoming 2022 class and if I am Tepper I suffer one more year with Darnold, build around him and then if he doesn't produce a playoff level run in 2022 I simply don't retain him and replace him with drafted quarterback who will be in a much better situation than most other quarterbacks that get draft by team. It's a difficult move to swallow and could be considered somewhat of a tank job by them but if they could get the quarterback they want with another top 10 pick, it would be worth it.
Fix the offensive line: 5 lineman that could improve this team
This Carolina Panthers offensive line was trash in 2021 and was the main reason for this teams offensive struggles in 2021 as they could block in pass protection very well or open lanes in the run game and fixing the offensive line in the NFL should be their number one concern heading into the offseason. Outside Taylor Moton, every offensive lineman on the team is suspect and getting at least one offensive lineman in the draft within their first couple picks in the draft should be the game plan. At their 6th overall pick in the NFL draft, they could be in line to grab one of the top five offensive lineman and any of these players could make a Day 1 impact for them.
- Evan Neal: Evan Neal is one of the best offensive tackles in this draft and has all the traits and intangibles that Carolina could possibly be looking for in an offensive tackle prospect. He's a freak athlete that is a highly skilled pass protector and run blocker and is certainly one often biggest players in this draft and if he fell to Carolina at #6 in the draft, which is unlikely, they would have to take him and not think twice.
- Ikem Ekwonu: Ikem Ekwonu is the most versatile lineman in the NFL draft and if he fell to the Panthers at #6, he would be also be a phenomenal pick for them at #6 because only is he an elite tackle prospect but he's and elite guard prospect as we and if Carolina needed him to play either position he would immediately improve the offensive line. He's a big and nasty lineman with freakish athleticism and exceptional technique and would be a bull dozer in Carolina.
- Charles Cross: Charles Cross is regarded as the best pass protector in the draft and his tape doesn't lie and if the other two offensive tackles are off the board, Cross is a very good consolation prize. He's very athletic, has excellent size, and his technical prowess in pass protection is well beyond his years but he falls a bit in the draft because his questionable run blocking. Offensive tackles can develop quickly into decent run blockers but pass protection is far more important and if they do draft a quarterback next year instead of this year, Cross will be a phenomenal asset.
- Tyler Linderbaum: Tyler Linderbaum is arguably the best offensive lineman in the NFL draft but because he's strictly a center prospect, he doesn't get the credit he deserves for his ability. He's an elite athlete,, technician, run blocker, pass protector, and one of the smartest player in the draft and if he was put in the middle of the offensive he would immediately make difference for them.
- Kenyon Green: Kenyon Green is the most likely to be available and would be a great pick for this team if they don't get the guy they want. Green is the nastiest blocker in this draft and certainly a top 2 run blocker among them and he's a very versatile prospect as he's played both tackle and guard in his career. He would be a very good player for them and certainly would drastically improve the run blocking of the Panthers.