Carolina Panthers Depth Chart

The Carolina Panthers Depth Chart doesn’t look much different from the team that made it to the Super Bowl last season.

Some of the biggest changes to the Carolina Panthers Depth Chart come in the form of key players getting healthy. The biggest piece returning to the lineup is wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin who showed his playmaking ability as a rookie.

Quarterback

Starter: Cam Newton
Backups: Derek Anderson and Joe Webb

Cam Newton appears primed to have another strong season and make a run at another MVP trophy. Derek Anderson is one of the better backups in the league and Joe Webb sticks on the roster because of his special teams contributions.

Running Back

Starter: Jonathan Stewart
Backups: Cameron Artis-Payne and Fozzy Whittaker

The depth at the running back position should be a concern for the Panthers. Jonathan Stewart is a major injury risk despite remaining healthy for the majority of the last season. Cameron Artis-Payne and Fozzy Wittaker are solid backups, but neither are really the type you’d ask to carry the load.

Fullback

Starter: Mike Tolbert

Tolbert is a perfect fit for this offense as he does an excellent job as a lead blocker while also giving the Panthers another short-yardage option.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess
No. 3: Ted Ginn
Backups: Corey Brown, Stephen Hill and Keyarris Garrett

The size that both Benjamin and Funchess bring to the table creates a major mismatch. Ted Ginn is a great complement to the bigger receivers thanks to his ability to take the top off the defense.

Tight End

Starter: Greg Olsen
Backups: Ed Dickson and Beau Sandland

Greg Olsen will remain a major part of the offensive attack, but expect him to see a little less targets with Benjamin back in the lineup.

Left Tackle

Starter: Michael Oher
Backups: Daryl Williams and Donald Hawkins

Michael Oher revived his career in Carolina and has cemented himself as the team’s starting left tackle. There’s not much depth here and an injury to Oher would be a disaster for the Panthers.

Left Guard

Starter: Andrew Norwell
Backups: David Yankey, Tyler Larsen and Chris Scott

Norwell has a strong hold on the starting job, but keep an eye o David Yankey who’s run blocking skills are a perfect fit for the Panthers offense.

Center

Starter: Ryan Kalil
Backup: Gino Gradkowski

Kalil remains one of the top centers in the league and should have another strong season.

Right Guard

Starter: Trai Turner
Backups: David Yankey, Tyler Larsen and Chris Scott

Trai Turner is a beast who excels at moving defenders off the line of scrimmage.

Right Tackle

Starter: Mike Remmers
Backups: Daryl Williams and Donald Hawkins

Despite being exposed by Von Miller, Mike Remmers is a solid right tackle who played well most of last year.

Defensive End

Starters: Kony Ealy and Charles Johnson
Backups: Mario Addison, Wes Horton and Larry Webster

Carolina is hoping that Kony Ealy can build off his performance in the playoffs and become the team’s top edge rusher. Just in case he struggles, the Panthers brought back Charles Johnson to be a secondary option.

Addison, Horton and Webster all have upside thanks to their athleticism and speed.

Defensive Tackle

Starters: Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei
Backups: Vernon Butler, Paul Soliai and Kyle Love

Kawann Short and Start Lotulelei are agubably the best defensive tackle combination in the league. They provide a combination of run stuffing ability as well as a disruptive element that hurts the timing of the offense.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Panthers utilize rookie Vernon Butler. He’s a physical freak who is still learning.

More from With the First Pick

SAM Linebacker

Starter: Shaq Thompson
Bacups: AJ Klein and Ben Jacobs

Shaq Thompson showed flashes of his potential last year, but will be asked to play a more significant role this season. Carolina will look to make better use of his coverage skills.

Middle Linebacker

Starter: Luke Kuechly
Backups: AJ Klein and David Mayo

Not much to say here as Luke Kuechly is truly an elite player.

WILL Linebacker

Starter: Thomas Davis
Backups: AJ Klein, Ben Jacobs and Jeremy Cash

Thomas Davis’ versatility is what makes him such a high-impact player. He remains one of the better linebackers in the league.

Cornerback

Starters: Robert McClain and James Bradberry
Nickelback: Zack Sanchez
Backups: Bene’ Benwikere, Shaquille Richardson and Teddy Williams

Carolina invested heavily at the cornerback position in during the draft. They added two players in James Bradberry and Zack Sanchez who’ll see immediate playing time. The Panthers feel good about these two rookies and already have Bradberry working with the starters.

It’s a bit of a risky move, but this is a team that feels their front seven will create enough pressure that the secondary will be protected.

Obviously, the loss of Josh Norman is significant but we might be surprised to see how well this defense adjusts.

Safety

Starters: Tre Boston and Kurt Coleman
Backups: Colin Jones and Dean Marlowe

The safety position is still a weak spot on this roster with both Tre Boston and Kurt Coleman susceptible to letting receivers behind them. There’s not much the Panthers can do at this point in the offseason to fix the issue.

Home/NFL News