Power Rankings Post NFL Draft: Where do the Panthers Rank?
Now that the NFL Draft is officially over, Sports Illustrated came out with their updated power rankings. Many teams stocked up with a plethora of young talent in hopes they can organically build a Super Bowl contender from the bottom up while other teams received much scrutiny from both the media and their own fans over questionable decisions from over the weekend.
The Carolina Panthers made NFL Draft history by using all seven of their draft picks on defensive players. The team lost eight of their 11 starters from 2019 this offseason so there were many holes to fill. They selected Derrick Brown with their No. 7 overall pick while filling holes on their secondary by drafting talented young prospects such as Jeremy Chinn, Troy Pride Jr., and Kenny Robinson Jr.
Sports Illustrated’s poll voters slotted the Panthers at No. 30 for their post-draft power rankings, grading the team’s draft with a "B". The team’s divisional opponents were ranked much higher in SI’s power rankings with the Atlanta Falcons coming in at 17, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 11, and the New Orleans Saints at No. 4.
While the Panthers had a rather successful draft over the weekend, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will immediately transfer over to wins, thus their power ranking staying at 30. Apart from Derrick Brown, the impact their draft selections will have from day one should expect to be particularly high. As Matt Rhule has said, the team is not building for the next 12 months but for the next 12 years.
Many of the team’s latest additions from this past weekend will be projects that will require time and patient development before they have a consistent impact on a game-to-game basis. That’s not inferring that the draft picks won’t be good from the get-go, it’s saying that it takes time to groom talent before they reach their optimal potential. There are several players, specifically in their secondary, who are in the process of figuring out which position they are most fit to play in the NFL so it will be a process of trial and error throughout the season. Luckily for the Panthers, many of their rookies will see the field immediately as they have such an immensely thin defense that there will be ample opportunities for the young guys to get valuable in-game reps from week one.
Overall, the Panthers used free agency to focus on building up their offense with supporting pieces around Christian McCaffrey by signing Teddy Bridgewater and Robby Anderson. Their offensive line is the offense’s Achilles heel but general manager Marty Hurney seems to think that his roster has eight to nine competent offensive linemen who will compete for starting spots once training camp begins.
The Panthers’ biggest weakness in 2020 will be their defense, which is not very convenient considering that they play in the NFL’s best offensive division, loaded with star-studded rosters. Their offense may be able to win them a handful or so games but it will be a weekly challenge to hold opponents under 30 points. The Panthers allowed 29.4 points per game in 2019 (31st in the NFL) and that will almost certainly increase in 2020 due to their defensive departures this offseason and the number of young players who will get significant playing time in 2020.
Carolina will be in the first season of their apparent rebuild so fans should not expect the team to immediately compete for a divisional title but should focus on the development of their young talent, the new coaching staff’s impact and culture they’ll be instilling, along with the continued progression of their overall roster.
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