Offseason Preview: Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers' Offseason "To Do" List

I can sum up the Panthers season in two words: Cam Newton.  He was electric.  He was amazing.  He stole the show.  He also turned the ball over.  As a good as Cam's rookie was, he has a lot of room for improvement.  That's what makes Carolina so dangerous.  They haven't peaked.  With early picks in each round, they stand a good chance to improve this offseason.

Their roster is loaded with talent.  Cam Newton's weapons are wide receivers Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell, tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen, and running backs Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.  They have balanced attack using both spread and pro philosophies.  If Cam Newton can minimize turnovers and if they get reliable play from their offensive line, the sky is the limit for this versatile offense.

Defensively, Carolina is lacking playmakers.  Jon Beason is an elite middle linebacker who missed most of the season with a torn achilles tendon.  He's a sideline-to-sideline tackler but doesn't generate sacks or turnovers.  Charles Johnson is a good pass rusher but is best suit for strong side defensive end.  Greg Hardy is still raw.  Eric Norwood is trying to find his place in this defense.  He's a hybrid line backer/end that you find most commonly in a 3-4 defense.  Chris Gamble is the best defensive back.  He excels in man coverage, often drawing the assignment of shadowing the opposing team's best wideout.  Perhaps their biggest problem is heading into the season relying on two rookie defensive tackles.  They drafted Terrell McClain and Sion Fua in the third round.  While the two have talent, neither seemed completely ready for the starting responsibility.

This is a team loaded with talent in almost every area.  Carolina can quickly become contenders with an improved run defense and cutting down on turnovers.  Newton has the locker room believing they can be something special.  With Jon Beason back to run the defense, the Panthers could make a push for the playoffs.  But before Carolina can do that, they need to do their homework this offseason.  Let's check out their "To Do" list:

Draft Playmakers: This team is in position for the eighth or ninth overall draft pick (depending on coin flip w/ Miami).  They need to take best player available.  If an elite receiver (Blackmon, Jeffery or Floyd) is on the board to play opposite Steve Smith, they could take one.  If they deem a cornerback such as Dre Kirkpatrick or a defensive end like Melvin Ingram as the highest rated player on their board, they have to pull the trigger.  Same goes in later rounds.  They need to search for impact players.

Sign Safety via Free Agency: The NFL Draft is not deep with safeties.  They should take a dip in the free agency pool.  Thomas DeCoud (Atlanta), Dashon Goldson (San Francisco) and LaRon Landry (Washington) headline a safety deep class.

Sign a Veteran Defensive Tackle: While McClain and Fua will be in year two, they are still developing.  Carolina needs to bring in a proven run stopper to ease some of the growing pains.  It will also free up Beason and company to make plays.

Offensive Line Help?: Jordan Gross is good.  Ryan Kalil is too.  The organization needs to decide whether or not Lee Ziemba and Jeff Otah are going to be reliable going forward.  If they are confident in the health of their young offensive linemen, there isn't much to address other than potential depth.  If they aren't sure, it would be wise to be aggressive in free agency for replacements.

Get a Clipboard Holder: Although Jimmy Clausen is doing an excellent job, (Actually, I don't have a clue.) the Panthers will need to add another quarterback to the roster.  Clausen has no thoughts of making a career of backing up Superman.  Also, Carolina has a bit of "Tim Tebow" issue.  If Newton goes down, there goes half the playbook unless they get a player with a similar skill set.  Newton is a "MASTER of all trades," so it's fantasy to think they'll land another one.  They should, however, look for a dual threat QB to be back-up so if Cam goes down, he doesn't take half the playbook with him.  They could look to a veteran QB such as Josh Johnson (Tampa Bay) or Dennis Dixon (Pittsburgh).  If they think they can fit the egos of Newton and Vince Young in one locker room, he'd be a perfect choice.  There are also rookies such as Darron Thomas (Oregon) and Chris Relf (Mississippi State) that could be a viable option.

The blueprint the Panthers laid out for the 2011 season was simple.  Ride Cam Newton to victory.  They put the offense almost squarely of his shoulders.  Carolina looks poised to be contenders behind Newton.  If they become a more consistent team, there's a strong chance they become a playoff team.