NFL Power Rankings: Post-NFL Draft Edition
By Jon Dove
18. Carolina Panthers
Key Additions: Julius Peppers, Matt Kalil, Mike Adams, Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Samuel and Taylor Moton
Key Losses: Kony Ealy, Ted Ginn Jr, Mike Remmers
The highlight of the Carolina Panthers offseason was drafting the versatile Christian McCaffrey. His addition will bring more explosiveness to the offense and give Cam Newton a new weapon. He is going to be asked to make an impact in both the running and passing attack.
Look for fellow-rookie Curtis Samuel to be used in a similar fashion. However, he should spend more time in the slot and working at wide receiver.
Both rookies are explosive athletes capable of producing big-plays every time they touch the ball. It will be up to Cam Newton and the coaching staff to ensure both are used properly.
The offensive line play could be the one thing that derails the team’s playoff hopes. Carolina signed Matt Kalil to a big-money contract despite his struggles over the past two seasons. He’ll get the first shot at the left tackle gig.
Defensively, this unit looks similar to last year’s group except for Julius Peppers replacing Kony Ealy. The key to the defenses success is health which was an issue last year.