Projecting the Carolina Panthers' Depth Chart After the Peak of Free Agency

The Carolina Panthers have seen some shake-up on their roster this offseason.  Gone is Greg Hardy, taking with him both the off-field headaches and 26 sacks from 2012 through 2013.  Returning is Ted Ginn, after a season in the desert watching the Arizona Cardinals try to re-define who the worst possible starting quarterback could be.  New is Michael Oher, attempting to revitalize his career after a rather horrible 2014.

DeAngelo Williams is gone.  Kurt Coleman, Jarrett Boykin and Jordan Todman are in.  These are relatively minor moves in the grand scheme of things, but they’ll serve to make the 2015 depth chart look substantially different than it did last season.

With the rush of free agency dying down, it’s as good a time as any to preview that depth chart.  With question marks on the offensive line and at the various skill positions, not to mention an upcoming draft, there’s still a lot of re-shuffling that may occur between now and opening day. 

However, it’s good to take these occasional snapshots to get a better view at where the team is set and where it needs to do more work before the 2015 season kicks off.

Let’s go position-by-position and look at where the Panthers are set and where they still have work to do leading up to this season.

Quarterback

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

1. Cam Newton
2. Derek Anderson
3. Joe Webb

There’s very little question here about what order the quarterbacks will come out in 2015.  Cam Newton is still a top-10 quarterback and was second only to Russell Wilson when it came to rushing value, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades.

Behind him, Derek Anderson played surprisingly well in his two starts last season, in Weeks 1 and 15 against Tampa Bay.  I would question his ability to play against a team that wasn’t the worst in the NFL last season, but honestly, the Buccaneers weren’t horrible on defense last season.  Anderson is what he is—a below-average starter whom the team feels comfortable turning to in case of emergency.

Joe Webb is really a Kordell Stewart-esque slash player in quarterbacks’ clothing; any situation which involves him standing under center is a very bad one for the team, but he provides some value on special teams and the like.

The interesting thing is that none of the three quarterbacks are under contract for 2016 as of now, so the Panthers need to do some work on contracts in the not-too-distant future.  Newton is due a large, salary-cap-eating extension in the not-too-distant future, and Anderson might be kept around as a veteran clipboard holder. 

At some point, the Panthers could add a developmental player for the long term to replace Webb as the third-stringer, but that’s not a high priority at this point.

Running Backs

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Running Backs

1. Jonathan Stewart
2. Fozzy Whittaker
3. Darrin Reaves
4. Jordan Todman

Fullback/H-Back

1. Mike Tolbert
2. Richie Brockel

The Panthers are set at the starting positions here.  Jonathan Stewart has had an up-and-down career, but last season, and especially the last eight games including the playoffs, were definitely up.  Stewart averaged 5.34 yards per carry to close out the regular season and was solid all year.  Mike Tolbert is still a solid fullback, though last year was far from his best work.

DeAngelo Williams' loss means that the Panthers need to find a better option behind Stewart.  Stewart’s been unreliable, at best, over the course of his career, prone to hot and cold streaks.  Fozzy Whittaker looked alright in very limited time last season, but he’s more of a special teams contributor than a serious complementary running back.

I’d expect a draft pick to compete for touches in 2015.  Williams may have only had 139 snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus, but there’s not a player on the roster talented enough to really take those snaps and run with them at first blush.  A mid-round pick should be used to shore up the depth chart here.

Receivers and Tight Ends

Chris Keane/Associated Press

Wide Receivers

1. Kelvin Benjamin
2. Jerricho Cotchery
3. Philly Brown
4. Ted Ginn
5. Jarrett Boykin
6. Brenton Bersin
7. Stephen Hill
8. Marcus Lucas
9. Mike Brown
10. De’Andre Presley

Tight Ends

1. Greg Olsen
2. Ed Dickson
3. Brandon Williams
4. Kevin Greene

The Panthers are fully set at tight end.  Olsen might be their best player on offense, at least in terms of value relative to the position.  Olsen was Pro Football Focus’ third-rated tight end last season and its second-highest when it came to actually catching passes. 

His new three-year extension locks him up for the foreseeable future, at least until the declining phase of his career begins.  They also re-signed Ed Dickson to serve as a backup, which is less thrilling, but it at least means they have an option they’re comfortable with behind Olsen.

Wide receiver is a different kettle of fish entirely.  Kelvin Benjamin didn’t set the world on fire as a rookie, but he looked solid enough for the Panthers to count on him to be their No. 1 in 2015.  With a little experience and some more consistency, he could develop into a top-flight receiver.  At the very least, he has the job for now.

Behind him, though, the Panthers have a lot of question marks. 

Jerricho Cotchery would be more than adequate as a third or fourth receiver, but as a secondary option, he leaves a lot to be desired.  Ted Ginn is still fast, but he’s more of a kick returner than an actual receiving weapon.  Philly Brown emerged last season as an option, but the undrafted rookie is still very much a question mark going forward.  They should all make the final roster, but none of them are exactly thrilling.

The Panthers did just sign ex-Packer Jarrett Boykin to compete for the third receiver position with Brown and Ginn, but they still need a secondary player at the position.  In a deep receiver draft, I’d imagine the Panthers would use a pick on the first two days to shore up the position.  I’d imagine Benjamin and Cotchery would be the starters come opening day, but the third receiver position should be wide-open.

Offensive Line

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

Left Tackle: Michael Oher
Left Guard: Andrew Norwell
Center: Ryan Kalil
Right Guard: Trai Turner
Right Tackle: Mike Remmers

Backup Tackle

1. Nate Chandler
2. Jonathan Martin
3. David Foucault
4. Martin Wallace

Backup Guard

1. Amini Silatolu
2. Fernando Velasco
3. Chris Scott
4. Edmund Kugbila
5. Tyronne Green

Backup Center

1. Brian Folkerts
2. Derek Dennis

Honestly, the offensive line is in a bit of a shambling mess at this point in time, and most of the backups could be shuffled around without much work.

The only two starters on the line who I’m sure will start opening day are center Ryan Kalil, who has been very solid, and free-agent acquisition Michael Oher, who hasn’t. 

Oher would be more comfortable on the right side of the offensive line—and in fact he said that he prefers that position back in 2013—but general manager Dave Gettleman insists that he will be playing on the blind side.  It’s technically an upgrade over Byron Bell, but it’s still a bit of a player playing out of position.

Both Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner looked good toward the end of the season, so I imagine they’ll retain the two starting guard slots.  They are, at best, average, but that’s phenomenally better than the tackle position has been, so I wouldn’t expect much work to be done there. 

Amini Silatolu was injured last season, but his spot was firmly taken away by Norwell, so I imagine he’ll fill the primary backup slot, with Fernando Velasco being versatile enough to handle any of the interior positions.

Right tackle is a massive question mark which will probably be filled with a first-round draft choice. Without one, you’re looking at one of Mike Remmers, who took over the job midway through last season, Nate Chandler, who started the season at the position before getting hurt, or Jonathan Martin, whom the 49ers' needy offensive line just cut.  None of those are exciting options.

Expect an offensive tackle to be drafted in the first two rounds.  Whoever that is will instantly become the favorite to start.  You could also see a later-round pick used on interior line depth, as the entire positional group could stand to be overhauled.

Defensive Line

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Defensive Ends

1. Charles Johnson
2. Kony Ealy
3. Wes Horton
4. Mario Addison
5. Frank Alexander

Defensive Tackles

1. Kawann Short
2. Star Lotulelei
3. Dwan Edwards
4. Colin Cole
5. Kyle Love
6. Micanor Regis

This is so close to being a perfect defensive line.  When you’re trotting out a set of Charles Johnson, Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei, you have a defensive line that would be the envy of most teams in the league.  If the Panthers still had Hardy at the other defensive end position, they’d be set.

Of course, they don’t have Hardy at the other defensive end position. 

Kony Ealy did not have a good rookie season at all, struggling mightily in run defense and not acquitting himself too much better in the pass rush.  He was just a rookie, so there’s still hope he’ll get better, but it was not the season the team had wanted out of their second-round draft choice. 

Wes Horton, who rotated with him at the position, was more solid against the run but had no pass rush prowess whatsoever, and has the lower ceiling than Ealy. 

With the names currently on the roster, Ealy not winning the starting job would be a massive disappointment.  I’d expect another name to be added to the competition there, but not in the first couple of rounds.

Re-signing Colin Cole and Dwan Edwards gives the Panthers much-needed depth behind Short and Lotulelei.  Neither are precisely going to serve as game-changers on the defensive line, but they’re key rotational players, giving the stars a chance to rest on the sideline.  Re-signing them to cheap deals was a heady move for the team.

Linebackers

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Weak Side

1. A.J. Klein
2. Adarius Glanton
3. Horace Miller

Middle

1. Luke Kuechly
2. Ben Jacobs

Strong Side

1. Thomas Davis
2. Kevin Reddick

After 2011, you could be forgiven for writing off Thomas Davis entirely.  He had missed all but nine games from 2009-2011 dealing with a number of ACL injuries, but he has since bounced back to become one of the top outside linebackers in the game. 

He can play either the "Sam" or "Will" positions, but he's generally a little more solid on the strong side and is phenomenal at covering tight ends and running backs.  Coupled with 2013 Defensive Player of the Year Kuechly, the Panthers have the best one-two punch at linebacker in the game today.

The third linebacker slot, however, is a bit more questionable.  It’s not that A.J. Klein is bad, by any stretch of the imagination.  He’s actually fairly solid in run defense, and because he’s taken out when the Panthers go to nickel or dime looks, that’s more than adequate.  He’s just an average player at the position.

I could see the Panthers using a mid-round pick to try find a more solid complementary player to Kuechly and Davis.  A third- or fourth-round selection, such as LSU’s Kwon Alexander or Texas’ Jordan Hicks, could compete with Klein and the useful reserve Adarius Glanton for that third starting linebacker slot.

Defensive Backs

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Cornerbacks

1. Josh Norman
2. Bene Benwikere
3. Melvin White
4. Carrington Byndom
5. Teddy Williams
6. Lou Young

Strong Safety

1. Roman Harper
2. Colin Jones
3. Robert Lester

Free Safety

1. Tre Boston
2. Kurt Coleman
3. Kimario McFadden

For a moment in free agency, it looked like the Panthers had scored by adding Alan Ball to the roster to shore up the cornerback position.  Instead, Ball is off to Chicago, leaving question marks in Carolina’s secondary.

Both Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere looked solid as they closed out 2014, but neither is precisely dripping with experience.  Benwikere, especially, is an interesting prospect.  The fifth-round pick out of San Jose State looked phenomenal when he came back in Week 13, but he’s only played about a half-season.

The hope is that he’ll continue to make strides, but his year-one performance was surprising.  His lack of physicality had me peg him more as a nickel or slot cornerback, but he held down a starting role quite nicely.

It would be nice to slide him back inside in nickel packages, which is where a better option than Melvin White or Colin Jones as the primary next defensive back-up would help. 

Jones, listed as a safety, was the primary nickel cornerback from Week 8 on and didn’t exactly set the world on fire.  A big cornerback to play outside would be a great pickup in the draft; look for that third cornerback position to be hotly competed for in camp.

The signing of free agent Kurt Coleman would be better if he could replace Roman Harper at strong safety.  While Coleman has played there in the past, he had his most success last season as a free safety and should battle Tre Boston for the starting role there. 

That leaves a replacement for the rapidly-aging and declining Harper still very much up in the air, and I’d be at least mildly surprised to not see the Panthers draft someone at the position, possibly as early as Round 2.

Special Teams

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Kicker: Graham Gano
Punter: Brad Nortman
Long Snapper: J.J. Jansen

Kick Returner: Ted Ginn

With just one player on the roster at each position, there’s not much to talk about in terms of special teams.  Adding Ted Ginn to handle the kick- and punt returning duties is definitely a step up, and he’ll provide much more of an impact there than he will on offense.

The one other unit that needs to improve in 2015 is the punt team.  Carolina’s punt unit, as a whole, was horrible in 2014, scoring the worst in Football Outsiders’ special teams rankings. 

This is not all Brad Nortman’s fault, but Nortman’s 36.5-yard net average was the worst in the league among qualified punters.  Either the team needs better special teams players to cover the kicks, or it needs a punter who can kick the ball farther.

The issue is mostly with the coverage unit.  The Panthers allowed 435 punt-return yards last season, third-most in the league, and the most yards per return.  That will dampen a punter’s net average, certainly. 

It’s not even just because the Panthers opponents were returning an unusual amount of punts; only 38.9 percent of Nortman’s punts were returned last season, according to Pro Football Focus.  It’s just when they were returned, they ended up gaining big yardage.  That needs to stop.

Bryan Knowles is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.  He’s been covering the San Francisco 49ers, and is now adding weekly Carolina Panthers coverage.  Follow him @BryKno on Twitter.