Carolina geared up to bounce back following 2020 NFL Draft

by Crimsion | 8 years ago | 2 Comments

Going into the off-season of 2020 the Panthers had one goal in mind and that was to find a way to be more effective on the offensive end of things. Carolina possessed the 7th overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, but said pick ended up in the hands of the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills and Panthers are no strangers when it comes to trades, as starting running back Thurman Thomas found his way to Carolina last season via Buffalo. Thomas may be more comfortable running the rock this season with some familiar faces blocking up front. Former Bills centre Warren Bollinger and right tackle Gabriel Danahy were acquired and the Panthers gave their offensive line the shot of life it so desperately needed.

During the free agency period the Panthers did not find themsleves breaking the bank or opening up negotiations to many. With the team going in a different direction on defense and deciding to opt in with a 3-4 defense this season some changes were made in that regard. Last years' leading sack getter DE Trey Beriault was moved to a position he knows too well, outside linebacker. The LSU product played this position for 2 years in college and will have no problem being the pass rusher the Panthers are in dire need of. To more so strengthen the rush and fill the hole left by Beriault's move, veteran DE Jabaal Sheard was brought in on a 2-year deal.

Carolina also looked to a younger talent in Zachery Ali to come in and learn under Cam Newton, Ali could find himself trying to fill the shoes of Newton as he battles with father time and an expiring contract.

Without a 1st-round selection the Panthers re-tooled with the following picks:

Round 2 (Pick 39) -  LG - Max Miranda - 23 - 6'4" - 304lbs - Michigan St.

The Panthers continuously watched as tackles came off the board before pick 39 came up to the podium. Instead of taking the best tackle on the board the Panthers opted to go with Max Miranda out of Michigan State who will likely serve as the teams starting left guard, shifting Andrew Norwell outside and into the tackle position. Miranda has shown flashes of greatness and can quickly become a cog in the offensive line for the Panthers.

Round 5 (Pick 139 via SEA) - TE - Terik Winn - 21 - 6'4" - 262lbs - Cincinnati

Carolina parted ways with a fan favourite this off-season as Greg Olsen was not retained and found a home elsewhere to close out his career. In an effor to fill that gap and give Nico Santiago some help the Panthers selected Terik Winn. The 21-year old showcased his speed during his pro day, clocking the top speed when it came to tight ends, but also made it known that he was a solid run blocker who could come in and make a difference from day one. Expect Winn to get his fair share of snaps during his rookie season.

Round 6 (Pick 167) - LT - JaMichael Wilkins - 24 - 6'5" - 317lbs - Duke

Lacking offensive lineman depth and a true Left Tackle prospect the Panthers decided JaMichael Wilkins was the man for the job. He may be raw but with the right amount of work he can turn into a work of art. Wilkins posesses the frame for the position but his footwork and strenth lack.

Round 6 (Pick 171) - DT - Michael Seymour - 22 - 6'1" - 285lbs - Syracuse

After losing out on Vernon Butler coach Charles felt that it was needed for the Panthers to select someone at defensive tackle to fill the potential hole. Now in a 3-4 defence the Panthers will only need to play a single tackle at all times, so Seymour has time to develop and at only 22-years old, he possesses great strength and just needs work when it comes ot the fundamentals.

Round 7 (Pick 199) - WR - Parker Billups - 22 - 5'8" - 181lbs - Massachusetts

Carolina has been slacking in the speed department when it comes to their wide-outs recently, with Cooley and McCellin etching themselves into being the future of Carolina's offense this selection of Billups seems to be a move to complete a trio of speedsters. Coming in at 5'8" the 22-year old doesn't show as a huge target, but as someone who can hide inbetween zones he could be a solid weapon in Carolina's future.