Carolina Panthers Needs (by Darin Gantt)

[Dpantherman]

With the free agent market opening at 12:01 a.m. Friday, the Panthers needs are clear. They’ll be looking for a few starters, but aren’t expected to make a huge splash. Here’s a look at what’s available at the positions of need for the Panthers:

1. Defensive end

With Julius Peppers gone, they have to replace with some degree of veteran to supplement Everette Brown and Charles Johnson. There have been discussions with incumbent Tyler Brayton (another unrestricted free agent), but there’s no deal yet at the moment.

Possible targets: If the Panthers wanted to sign a turn-key starter, making a run at Green Bay’s Aaron Kampman or Tennessee’s Kyle Vanden Bosch would make the most sense. There are also some other older players who still have some pass-rush ability, such as Chicago’s Adewale Ogunleye or New England’s Derrick Burgess.

An intriguing possibility would be St. Louis’ Leonard Little. If the Panthers could get past his troubled past and look at just the football, he’d be a nice fit as a third pass-rusher.

2. Defensive tackle

With Thursday’s surprise cut of Damione Lewis, and the uncertain future of the rehabbing Maake Kemoeatu, the Panthers are going to have a whole new look up front in 2010.

They’ve already added young guys through last year’s trades (Louis Leonard, Tank Tyler) and draft picks (Corvey Irvin). They also signed former Indianapolis DT Ed Johnson to a league-minimum deal, so they have bodies. What they lack is experience.

They have to hope some more DTs get cut, because the free agent market was thin before the top guys all got franchise tags or new deals. There are only five unrestricted free agent DTs under 30, so there’s not much to pick from. Included in that group are undesirables such as Tank Johnson and Shaun Smith, and older-than-they looks such as Ian Scott.

3. Wide receiver

There’s nothing to indicate they’re in the mix for high-end wideouts such as Tampa Bay’s Antonio Bryant. Even Houston’s Kevin Walter could get more attention than some are expecting and end up out of their price range.

Possible targets: Seattle’s Nate Burleson’s not going to come cheaply but he would be an instant complement to Steve Smith, assuming they’re not going to continue to the Dwayne Jarrett-as-a-contributor experiment. San Diego’s Kassim Osgood is an elite special teams player who’s looking for a chance to play offense, and Kansas City’s Chris Chambers showed he still has some downfield ability last season. Otherwise, the market’s mostly full of older guys on the downside of careers, such as Buffalo’s Terrell Owens and Jacksonville’s Torry Holt.

Buffalo’s Josh Reed (who worked with new Panthers WR coach Tyke Tolbert) makes a degree of sense as a third, but doesn’t have starter upside. Muhsin Muhammad has said he wants to keep playing, but the Panthers need an upgrade in the starting lineup, and his best skills (run-blocking) are better suited to first and second downs. That could negate the benefit of keeping him in the Ricky Proehl/mentor role.

4. Cornerback

With Richard Marshall’s future unsettled (he could leave for a second-round pick) and Dante Wesley expected to hit the market, the Panthers have very little behind Chris Gamble.

Don’t expect them to get into the bidding for high-end guys such as New England’s Leigh Bodden or Houston’s Dunta Robinson.

Beyond that, there are a number of solid veterans on the market, the kind of guys who will come a little more cheaply after the dust clears this weekend. Players such as Tennessee’s Nick Harper, Detroit’s Anthony Henry or Pittsburgh’s DeShea Townsend will get good offers, if not what they might have in other years.

If nothing else, they could always do the Ken Lucas reunion tour, as the former Panther finished his one-year pact with Seattle.

5. Offensive line

With Keydrick Vincent walking, they have a vacancy at right guard. They could always use their own young players there (Mackenzy Bernardeau, Duke Robinson), but these guys have always liked to have a group of vets there. Considering GM Marty Hurney’s “keep the strength strong,” mantra, don’t be surprised to see them make a run at a potential starting guard in the next week. If that guy could play center in a pinch it would help, as they lacked a backup there when Bernardeau started late in the year.

Cleveland refugees such as Rex Hadnot or Hank Fraley could be fits, along with guys such as Minnesota’s Artis Hicks, Cincinnati’s Bobbie Williams. Honestly, the unrestricted free agent market’s thin enough that former Panther Jeremy Bridges could get some play — but probably not here.

— Darin Gantt

http://blogs.charlotte.com/panthers/2010/03/what-carolina-panthers-need-in-free-agency.html

[DynastyRTR]

1-Wide Reciever

2-Defensive Tackle

3-Defensive End

4-Cornerback depth

5-O-line depth