Although they’re led by one of the most dynamic and explosive young quarterbacks in the league in Cam Newton, i cant help but think the Panthers offence is holding them back rather than in recent years when the defense was.
During last season Carolinas offence ranked poorly in almost all offensive statistics but still saw themselves finish 12-4 and winning the NFC South in the process. The Panthers ranked 26th in YPG, 18th in PPG and a lowly 29th in Passing YPG. The only real reason they finished 11th in Rushing YPG was due to Newtons outstanding playmaking ability from within the pocket. Many people see the Panthers defense as the reason behind their 12-4 record, led by Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly, Carolina ranked 2nd in Pts/G (15.1), 2nd in Yds/G (301.2) and 1st in sacks (60).
The Panthers did manage to put up 30+ points on 6 occasions but seemed to struggle when they came up against the elite defences (Scoring 10 points on both occasions against the 49ers & 7 points against Seattle). There is no doubt Cam Newton is one of the best young quarterbacks within the NFL, so where exactly do Carolinas offensive problems stem from?
Its clear for everyone to see, the biggest problem for the Panthers stems from the wide receiver position. Tight end Greg Olsen led the team in receiving last year (816) and behind veteran Steve Smith Carolina doesn’t possess many weapons in the wide receiving core and Cam Newton can only do so much. Ted Ginn and Brandon LaFell did a decent job last year and showed glimpses of brilliance, but neither of them are elite receivers and with LaFell looking set for free agency and Steve Smith ageing, Carolina needs a playmaker at WR now more than ever.
Despite a need at offensive tackle and help on defense (depending on what free agents they re-sign) most Panthers fans will be looking to the draft for Carolina to address their need for a WR, but we’ve come to learn the Panthers do tend to surprise a few on draft day. If they are to pursue a wide out, this years draft class is stacked with them and there are a few names the Panthers might consider.
Kelvin Benjamin – Florida State
CBSSports.com have Benjamin ranked as the 4th best receiver in the draft, mainly due to the fact he has great potential and all the mechanics to develop into a true no1 receiver in the NFL. At 6ft 5 he possesses long arms and a great leaping ability which make him a nightmare for defenders as well as a monster in the red zone (which he proved last year for FSU). Judging by last years struggles in the red zone for the Panthers (52.08) Benjamin is certainly a player they might look at to fix those RZ issues.
Although he is still very raw and requires a lot of work due to his poor field awareness and sometimes inconsistent ball catching skills, there are not many teams in the NFL that would pass up on his potential.
Allen Robinson – Penn State
At 6ft 3, Robinson is another tall athletic receiver the Panthers might consider, and like Benjamin he possesses great leaping ability. Although he lacks that elite speed, he has deceivingly quick acceleration and great catching ability. He would be a great fit right in behind Steve Smith in the no2 slot for Carolina with the potential to take over at no1 once Smith retires.
Brandin Cooks – Oregon State
Brandin Cooks would be an interesting choice for Carolina. CBSSports.com has him ranked as the 7th best receiver and whilst some experts project him as a first round pick a few others see him falling to the 3rd round. Gaining a PAC-12 record in receiving yards last year (1,730) as well as hauling in 16 touchdowns, Cooks clearly has a tremendous skill set. Standing at 5ft 11, Cook doesn’t have the height of Benjamin or Robinson but has tremendous speed as well as great route running ability and a knack for getting separation from defenders.
Should the Panthers decide to pursue a receiver later on in the draft, there should still be plenty of talent available. With the likes of Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt), Martavis Bryant (Clemson), and Davante Adams (Fresno State) all projected to go in the 2nd/3rd rounds.Carolina also has an awful lot of money invested in their backfield, with seemingly very little production. The Panthers have $79.5 million invested in both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Stewarts season was decimated by injury and Williams, considering he’s on a $43 million contract, ranked 18th amongst RB’s and managed 843 yards with 3 TD’s, which some might say is very poor. Rumour has is Carolina might look to trade one of their running backs this offseason which would free up some cap space that they could perhaps spend on a WR and other areas of need.
The Panthers offense did seem to hold them back a bit last year and although Cam came through at times in the clutch (against New England & New Orleans), the offense in general struggled against the better teams and they relied on their defense an awful lot. If they can add weapons this year to help relieve some of the pressure on Newton and Smith and keep the main core of their defense together, Carolina could be better set for another charge towards the SuperBowl in 2015.
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