Carolina Panthers: The Draft Happened…
The Carolina Panthers took a long look at cornerback during the NFL Draft.
The Carolina Panthers finished off their NFL Draft by continuing the work of the previous day. The Panthers used their last two picks on a third cornerback and a tight end. The Panthers therefore ended the Draft with some questions still lingering. One question though was definitively answered.
That question was how the Panthers would react to the loss of Josh Norman. The Panthers showed that they are definitely going to find a replacement for him from this draft with the three men who were selected. May the best man win whether that is James Bradberry, Daryl Worley, or Zack Sanchez. The feeling is that it will be Bradberry or Worley since the smaller Sanchez might be a better fit in the slot as either a nickel or dime back.
The Panthers’ seventh rounder was Beau Sandland, a tight end out of Montana State who started his college career at Miami. Sandland becomes the next Brandon Williams, the fourth tight end on the roster that the Panthers like but other roster concerns lead to a stint on the practice squad before finding a home with another team.
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The good news for the Panthers is that the draft was all about Cam Newton. The Saints, Falcons, and Buccaneers all tailored their drafts to stop the Panthers quarterback. The Falcons brought in safety Keanu Neal from Florida and added two speedy linebackers later on. Wonder what they were thinking.
The Saints shored up their defensive line with Sheldon Rankins and then filled a hole at safety with Vonn Bell. They too had an eye to playing two games against Newton next year. Bell is known as a hitter at his position.
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The Buccaneers brought aboard cornerback Vernon Hargreaves to match up better on receivers and then brought in Noah Spence to bring pressure on the quarterback from the edge. Again, nothing to do with Cam Newton.
There are of course the rookie free agent deals and if this draft was deep enough then there might be some gems located there. Still, the Panthers will likely be using bargain deals to fill any remaining holes in the roster. Answers may have to come from developing players already on the roster (Daryl Williams).
Next: Halfway There at the Draft
The Panthers will have a continuous story in training camp over who will replace Josh Norman and it will not end any time soon.