CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Barring an unexpected turnaround, the Carolina Panthers seem destined to have a prime 10 decide in subsequent 12 months’s NFL draft.
Meaning the Panthers have a doubtlessly franchise-altering choice on the horizon: Do they attempt to discover a younger franchise quarterback with their first-round decide subsequent April or take an offensive lineman to solidify the left sort out spot for the following decade?
These are unequivocally the group’s two largest positions of want.
The Panthers (5-8) have been taking part in musical chairs at quarterback since Matt Rhule’s arrival as head coach in 2020. Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and (the return of) Cam Newton haven’t panned out.
Carolina is on the hook with Darnold for $18 million subsequent season after making an ill-advised choice to select up the fifth 12 months of his rookie contract earlier than he ever performed a down for the Panthers. Newton is barely beneath contract by this season and has performed little to show he can lead this franchise after going 0-3 since taking on as a starter. Newton’s backup P.J. Walker, who's 2-0 as an NFL starter, doesn’t look like the long-term reply both. If he was, Rhule seemingly would have caught with Walker as an alternative of signing Newton after Darnold went down with an harm.
Mississippi’s Matt Corral and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett are thought-about potential prime 10 draft QBs in what is just not considered as a robust quarterback class general.
As for the offensive line, the Panthers seemingly solely have two gamers who could possibly be thought-about legit starters transferring ahead — proper sort out Taylor Moton and guard Michael Jordan. Carolina has had a urgent want at left sort out for years, and hasn’t invested a first-round draft decide in an offensive sort out since taking Jeff Otah in 2008.
Some potential prime 10 picks on the offensive line within the subsequent 12 months’s draft embody North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, Alabama’s Evan Neal, Mississippi State’s Charles Cross, and Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum.
A lot of what the Panthers do at quarterback and on the offensive line can be predicated on what they do in free company. If there’s a prime quarterback that turns into out there by way of free company (or commerce) comparable to Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson, Panthers proprietor David Tepper definitely can be keen to pay the invoice to land one.
If the Panthers can land a veteran quarterback, they might flip their assets to pursuing an offensive lineman within the draft. No matter which approach the Panthers go, they should hit a house run on that first-round decide.
As of proper now, Carolina doesn’t have one other choice till the fifth spherical. The Panthers traded their second- and fourth-round picks to the Jets for Darnold and their third-round decide to Jacksonville for cornerback C.J. Henderson.
WHAT’S WORKING
Jeremy Chinn. The second-year security continues to be a power on protection and had 13 tackles in opposition to the Falcons. Chinn has excelled within the adjustment from linebacker to security, and now has no less than 11 tackles in every of his final 4 video games after main all rookies in tackles final season. Chinn leads the Panthers with 91 tackles.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Turnovers. The Panthers have now turned over the ball 23 occasions, together with 18 of their eight losses. Rhule has repeatedly confused that his group needs to take care of the football higher if they're to have an opportunity to win video games.
“It’s real simple, you look at the games when we win the turnover battle or tie it, we usually win,” Rhule mentioned. “When we don’t win the turnover battle, we lose. That’s where we are. That’s where most teams are, to be quite honest, but that is definitely where we are.”
STOCK UP
Robby Anderson. The vast receiver had seven catches for 84 yards and a landing in opposition to the Falcons, certainly one of his greatest video games of the season. Anderson has had a particularly disappointing 12 months after signing a three-year contract extension, however he could possibly be more concerned within the offense with Jeff Nixon taking on play calling from Joe Brady, who was fired final week as offensive coordinator.
STOCK DOWN
Newton. The quarterback had what Rhule known as two “catastrophic” turnovers in opposition to the Falcons, together with a pick-6 by linebacker Mykal Walker. He additionally fumbled a handoff close to midfield, and the Falcons cashed in with a landing. Newton has now turned over the ball 5 occasions within the final two video games.
INJURED
Panthers vast receiver D.J. Moore can be listed as each day this week after he pulled his hamstring Sunday. Moore was in a position to return to the sport.
KEY NUMBER
11 — consecutive losses for Newton because the Panthers beginning quarterback, a streak courting again to the 2018 season.
NEXT STEPS
The Panthers have a brutal closing schedule, starting this week at Buffalo. Additionally they play the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice and New Orleans as soon as. Three of these video games are on the street.
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