Inside The Huddle - Off-Season & Draft Recap

by SetfreexX | 4 years ago | 0 Comments

The Carolina came up short in the NFC Divisional Round in overtime, but for a team many expected not to compete the Panthers exceeded expectations. With a season under his belt with the core, and now an opportunity to continue to build Coach Setfree xX has lofty goals for Season 2. 

The Panthers remade their interior offensive line, and that started in free agency with the acquisition of Andrus Peat to take over the LG position. To further solidy the line and run game they also added veteran Mike Iupati as well during free agency. In a bit of a surprise release veteran Ryan Jensen found himself with walking papers as teams cut for salary, but he soon found himself under contract with the Panthers. With Greg Little developing nicely, along with veteran Center Matt Paradis, and Taylor Moton who looks like a future supestar, the Panters offensive line seems to be on track to set the tone for this coming season. (Peat & Jensen pictured in the title)

As the work continues to round out the roster the Panthers knew there was still work to done as the MCL Draft was set to begin, as always with a BPA mindset the Panthers took wide receiver Rashod Bateman the 6'2'' play-maker out of Minnesota who has the potential to be a superstar early in his career, the real question is where he fits among the likes of Robby Anderson, DJ Moore, and Curtis Samuel. If early reaturns from the Panther's training camp are an indication, this kid will see the field early and often. (Pictured below)

In the 2nd and 3rd Rounds the Panthers turned their attention to the interionr of the offensive and defensive lines. The second Round selection is none other than Darren Mack out of Alabama, standing at 6'8'' and 330 pounds the kid has all the tools in the world to be a star, and with a season to work in behind Peat, and Jensen, his is a name to rmember as the weeks progress. Keeping the theme of bigger is better, the Panther's selected defensive tackle Kurtis Metcalf out of Clemson. Metclaf is a 6'6'', 316 pound true NT with the potential to flash on pass rush downs; pairing him with Derrick Brown should give many opposing offenses headahces as the look to prepare to face this Panther's defensive front. (Kurtis Metcalf pictured below #92)

In rounds 4 through 7 the Panthers continues to add depth as they selected: WR Taylor Stokes a burner out of Ohio State in the 4th, Darelle Dixon one of the fasted linebackers in the entire draft in the 5th, Guard Devontae Jones, who is raw but has the tools in the 6th to develop, and lastly Chad Killings a TE out of North Caroliana, a local kid who didn't make the final cut but could find his way back onto the roster some time down the line. 

Week 1 the Panthers open up the season versus the Buffalo Bills, the previous AFC Champs, this will be a great test to see how the new pieces gel and hold up versus one of the better teams in the league. Until then, we'll be back with news and more next time on Inside the Huddle!