The Panthers 'Checked Most Boxes', but the Roster is 'Never Set'
Quality over quantity. That's how I would describe this year's draft haul for the Carolina Panthers. They didn't have many picks but they made the most of the five that they did have, including the number one overall pick, Bryce Young.
After the draft concluded on Saturday evening, I asked Fitterer and head coach Frank Reich about how confident they are in the roster and if there was anything that they were unable to get during the three-day event.
"I think when we mapped it out, we pretty much checked the boxes of what, as we go into this, where are the remaining needs," Fitterer said. "Now you are trying to balance value and where guys are on the board, but I think we checked most boxes. One thing, we went through an exercise and we were in Frank’s office, and he is putting down names, kind of our target names and we were able to get those names that we wanted. We feel really good about where we’re at heading into the season. And the roster is never set, and we will go throughout the spring, but after the draft, we like where we are at."
"Feel good, really in all three phases," Reich stated. "It was really important to continue to build the foundation. Get o-Line depth, which we addressed both in free agency and in the draft. Get the skill players, we’ve already talked about that. Defensively too, we did the same thing, both adding in free agency and in the draft and being very selective about the kind of players that we are looking for. As Scott mentioned, the roster is always continuing to be built. It’s never done. So that work is never done. Where we are in the process right now, feel really good. It was especially good to see the guys out on the field last week as that first blush. And then we get the rookie minicamp coming up, get a look at these guys on the field and so yeah, it’s everyday kind of fills in the pieces in your mind of what we’re looking for."
With just five selections, the Panthers had a rather large undrafted free agent class but still have several roster spots to fill ahead of the start of training camp in late July. So, where will Scott Fitterer look to add? Earlier this week during an interview with Kyle Bailey of WFNZ, he rattled off a handful of positions.
"You never have enough pass rushers. I always look pass rusher first. I think tackle, having a swing tackle adding depth there. And then maybe a corner. We'll get someone that can play outside and play nickel. Those are kind of the main spots. But I really feel good about where the roster's at but we'll always keep an eye open for someone that can help us."
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