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[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Asks: Only about two weeks until the NFL Draft

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Come join us with your burning fan questions in this week’s mailbag!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Asks, your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! As of the time of this writing, we are 16 days from the 2025 NFL Draft. That means we are starting to really nail down some predictions, including our pick in the 2025 SB Nation NFL mock draft-LB Jihaad Campbell.

So, this has all led to discussions being had every single day up and down this website, whether it comes to who the Panthers should pick, when the Panthers should pick, and what side of the ball they should address. We’re going to continue to encourage that discussion.

So! Comment down below with all of your fan questions, whether they be draft related, football related, or even completely off topic from all sports! Later on in the week, we’ll take the time to answer them. And when that time comes, we’ll be less than two weeks away from the Draft.

KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...asks-only-about-two-weeks-until-the-nfl-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Post-pro days Carolina Panthers mock draft roundup

Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

We go around the Internet to see what popular media outlets think the Panthers will do in the NFL Draft.

We’ve done this exercise a couple of times now, and we’ll probably get one more in the week or so leading up to the draft after teams have completed their meetings with prospects and reporters hear scuttlebutt about what teams are trying to do. All of the significant pro days wrapped up last week, which has people rethinking some of their rankings and adjusting their draft boards. We have some different picks for the Panthers than we did last time, so let’s dive right in.

ESPN (Field Yates):​

8: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
57: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

Yates has the Panthers taking a couple of Jalens with different spellings. Walker has been one of if not the most commonly mocked players to the Panthers throughout the predraft process. He’s got prototypical linebacker size but the ability to rush the passer. He brings a bunch of versatility to the defense with his athleticism and skill set.

Noel is a small-ish but very athletic wide receiver. He would fill a Panthers young receiving corps that features Xavier Legette and Jalen (there’s that name again) Coker on the outside. He also brings kick and punt return experience.

NFL (Chad Reuter)​

8: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
57: Kevin Winston Jr., Safety, Penn State
74: Jack Sawyer, Edge, Ohio State
111: Bilhal Kone, CB, Michigan
114: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
140: Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah
146: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
163: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State

Reuter runs through five rounds of his mock draft and has the Panthers hitting a lot of needs. Tight end isn’t a position of need, but Warren is a tremendous prospect that would help Bryce Young and the offense. The defense gets help through the middle rounds while more offensive depth gets added late.

PFF​

8: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Despite all the holes on defense, Mason Cameron has the Panthers going with a first round wide receiver for the second straight draft. McMillan is the consensus best receiver in the draft and provides a big body target down the field.

The Athletic​

8: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
57: Kevin Winston Jr., Safety, Penn State
74: Kyle Kennard, Edge, South Carolina

A couple of repeat picks in the The Athletic’s mock draft. The Panthers go for their wide receiver in McMillan while getting badly needed defensive help in rounds two and three.

CBS Sports​

8: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
57: Tyleik Williams, DL, Ohio State
74: Xavier Watts, Safety, Notre Dame

Ryan Wilson has the common idea of mocking the Panthers a pass rusher in round one, but he goes off the beaten path and has the Panthers taking Marshall’s Mike Green. Green led FBS with 17 sacks but does have some off field issues that need to be taken into account.

Williams is a big body that can stuff the run, while Watts could potentially provide a coverage safety that Panthers haven’t had in who knows how long.

Yahoo Sports​

8: Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M

Another different edge rusher for the Panthers to try. Stewart looks the part of an elite pass rusher with his size and athletic traits. However, he never produced at all at the college level and would be a risky bet to suddenly start producing in the NFL.

Tankathon​

8: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
57: J.T. Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
74: Demetrius Knight Jr, LB, South Carolina
111: CJ West, DL, Indiana
114: Lathan Ransom, Safety, Ohio State

The site more known for its NBA Draft Lottery simulator has the Panthers bolstering their weapons cache for Bryce Young before going all in on the defensive side of the ball. The mock draft checks all the areas of need should the players all hit.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...pro-days-carolina-panthers-mock-draft-roundup

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Recent precedents for a potential Panthers draft night trade

Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There have been several trades in the vicinity of where the Panthers are slated to pick. We look at the returns those trades got.

If you’re a fan of the Carolina Panthers and a user of the Internet, chances are you’ve voiced a preference for the Panthers to trade down and acquire more draft capital. It’s not unique to Panthers fans. Everyone wants their team to trade down because more picks means more fun. Each year, a handful of teams are able to find partners willing to move up in exchange for a piece of their draft cache. Let’s take a look at what trades have been made in recent years to give us an idea of what a potential return could look like should the Panthers find a willing trade partner.

2021​

The Eagles traded picks 6 and 156 to the Dolphins for picks 12, 123, and a 2022 first (pick 15)

The Dolphins moved up to take Jaylen Waddle. The Eagles got their own wide receiver in Devonta Smith at number 10 after a series of other trades around the 12th pick. That pick ended up with the Cowboys, who took Micah Parsons. The Eagles would use the future first they got in another trade and ended up with Jordan Davis when the dust settled.

2021 was a heavy quarterback draft, so there was a lot of movement at the top that isn’t as likely to happen this year with Shedeur Sanders seemingly the only coveted quarterback after Cam Ward gets taken first overall by the Titans.

2022​

Washington traded pick 11 to the Saints for picks 16, 98, and 120

The Vikings traded picks 12 and 46 to the Lions for picks 32, 34, and 66

The 2022 featured a ton of convoluted trades involving players. These two were more standard draft pick trades. Both saw teams move down to pick up extra picks a little bit later. Washington let the Saints get Chris Olave while they landed Jahan Dotson. Yuck. The Vikings moved way back and draft Lewis Cine, who got hurt early in his rookie season and never contributed. If they stayed put and took a safety, they likely end up with Kyle Hamilton.

2023​

The Lions traded pick 6 and pick 81 to the Cardinals for picks 12, 34, and 168

The Lions moved back and used the two high picks they got in return to select Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta. The 81st pick they gave up turned into Tyjae Spears, who is fine, but the Lions definitely came out ahead by getting that extra pick at the top of the second round.

The Bears traded pick 9 to the Eagles for pick 10 and a 2024 fourth round pick

The Bears let the Eagles get Jalen Carter so they could take Darnell Wright and get a future fourth. It doesn’t look good in hindsight, but if you have equally ranked players left on the board, it’s a good business move.

2024​

The Jets traded pick 10 and pick 203 to the Vikings for pick 11, 129, and 157

The Vikings clearly had some concerns that someone else was going to swoop in and take their quarterback of the future, so they gave the Jets some picks to jump up one spot to take JJ McCarthy. The Jets turned a sixth round pick into a fourth and fifth by moving down a spot so the Vikings could take a player they knew they weren’t going to take anyway. If you can get a deal like this, you have to take it.

Conclusion​

I think the moral of the story here is to be careful about how much you prioritize quantity over quality at the top of the draft. While the draft is unpredictable, the truly elite players do tend to go near the top. Dropping too far in the name of stockpiling picks could cause you to miss out on a blue chip prospect. However, if you can find a partner in your vicinity that’s locked in on a particular player, you can pick up a similar caliber player while adding to a cache of day two or three picks. A safe target area for the Panthers to trade down to is probably in the 10 to 13 or 14 range based on recent results.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...potential-carolina-panthers-draft-night-trade

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Recent History of the 8th Overall Pick

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How was the 8th overall pick in the NFL Draft fared in recent years?

The Carolina Panthers own the eighth overall pick heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. While we aren’t sure if they’ll actually use that pick or trade it away, let’s take a look at some recent draft results to see how well the eighth pick usually fares once entering the NFL.

2000s​

With the dawn of a new century came the Pittsburgh Steelers taking Plaxico Burress with the eighth overall pick in 2000. Burress is more known for shooting himself in the leg than anything he did on the field, but he was a good receiver who eventually won the Super Bowl with the Giants. The run on receivers continued as the Bears took David Terrell, followed by the Lions taking Roy Williams. The Panthers took future Hall of Honor member Jordan Gross in 2003, which turned out exceptionally well for them. The Atlanta Falcons had this pick twice in the decade, taking DeAngelo Hall in 2004 and Jamaal Anderson in 2008. In between those Falcons selections, the Cardinals took Antrel Rolle and the Bills took Donte Whitner. The Jacksonville Jaguars closed out the decade with back to back picks at number eight overall, selecting Derrick Harvey and Eugene Monroe.

2010s​

The early 2010s is a hodgepodge of “oh yeah, that guy” and “wait, who?” types of players. The Las Vegas Raiders (then still in Oakland) started the decade by taking Rolando McClain, who retired in 2013 after playing for multiple teams and running into multiple off-field issues. The next two eighth overall picks were quarterbacks who didn’t pan out: Jake Locker to the Tennessee Titans and Ryan Tannehill to the Miami Dolphins. Tavon Austin was taken by the Los Angeles Rams (then in St Louis) the following year. The Cleveland Browns then took Justin Gilbert, who is now in the Arena League. The Falcons had another eighth overall pick in 2015 and used it on Vic Beasley to chase around Cam Newton. Beasley had a good 2016 season, but fell off and was out of the league by 2020. After the Titans took Jack Conklin, the Panthers were once again at the eighth overall pick and took Christian McCaffrey. That pick worked out extremely well overall despite some injury issues along the way. The NFC North closed out the decade with the Chicago Bears taking Roquan Smith, still one of the best linebackers in the game, and the Detroit Lions taking TJ Hockenson, who was traded to the Vikings a few years later and has been a very good tight end.

2020s​

We are already halfway through this decade, and the eighth pick has been dominated by two NFC South teams. The Panthers had the pick in 2021, using it on Jaycee Horn. The Falcons then had the next three iterations of the pick, selecting Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Michael Penix Jr with those selections. The Arizona Cardinals started off the decade in 2020 by taking Isaiah Simmons, the LB/S hybrid. Due to the recency of these picks, the jury is still out on many of them. The Falcons seem excited about their three selections, though they are still in the honeymoon phase. The Panthers extended Jaycee Horn this offseason, making him the (temporarily) highest paid defensive back in NFL history. The lone blemish would be Simmons, who the Cardinals traded to the New York Giants in 2023, just three years into his professional career.

Overall​

The 8th overall pick has been used 25 times since the turn of the century. Interestingly enough, nine of those selections have been made by the Panthers or Falcons. I don’t think that is anything more than a coincidence, but still a bit of a fun fact. For their part, both teams have picked fairly well in those instances. The Panthers landed a Hall of Honor offensive tackle, an MVP-caliber running back, and one of the best young corners in the league. The Falcons got a quality starting corner for most of his career (Hall), and three major offensive building blocks (London, Robinson, Penix Jr). Their only true misses came when drafting edge rushers (Anderson and Beasley). So maybe the Panthers should avoid edge rushers at eight. That spot seems to be cursed.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/10/24403791/recent-history-of-the-8th-overall-pick

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Is he really the ‘Dawg’ the Panthers are looking for?

Photo by CFP/Getty Images

A Jalon Walker skeptic takes another look to see what all the hype is about.

The buzz on social media connecting the Carolina Panthers to Georgia’s Jalon Walker has reached a new peak after interviews from the “Up and Adams” show have been clipped and shared repeatedly across every platform imaginable.

Jalon Walker is feeling the love from the Panthers! @heykayadams | @JalonWlaker | @Panthers pic.twitter.com/jInbjg1inj

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 2, 2025​

I’ll be honest, to this point I’ve not been a huge fan of Walker’s. Which is why I figure it will be a fruitful exercise to dive into his profile to see if I’ve written him off sooner than I should have. After all, with so many prominent and well respected analyst like Dane Brugler, Daniel Jeremiah and Field Yates absolutely in love with the player, it can’t hurt to take another, more intense look.

Before going into this second look, this is how I viewed Walker’s profile in relation to being the Panthers selection at 8th overall:

Walker is a hybrid linebacker/edge rusher, signified by his 195 pass rush snaps during the 2024 season (including playoffs), the highest of any linebacker in PFF’s system. The under-developed instincts and coverage ability make it hard to value him as a top 10 pick as an off-ball linebacker. While explosive as an edge rusher, his measurables are a major concern, especially when considering that the Panthers have sought out players with ideal measurables in all of their recent transactions at the position. While there is value in hybrid players like Frankie Luvu or Andrew Van Ginkel, that role is usually the fallback plan for a player when they’ve been unsuccessful in other roles and not one prioritized with a top 10 selection.

So, in order for me to view Walker as worthy of the 8th overall selection, I want to project him spending most of his time in the NFL as an edge defender who can rush the passer. I want Walker to have a true home position in the NFL where he can spend most of his time developing and then can branch out from there. Frankly, I don’t yet trust the creativity of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to use Walker as position-less player, and the Panthers desperate need of pass rush production only makes me feel stronger about this opinion.

Measurables​

The number one issue with Walker’s projection at edge defender is his size. At the NFL Combine, Walker measured in at the combine at 6’1, 243 lbs with 32 inch arms and 10.25 inch hands. Among edges, those numbers would be in the 2nd, 6th, 5th and 79th percentile - according to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus.

Georgia LB Jalon Walker Combine measurements

As an edge:
HT: 6010 (2nd percentile)
WT: 243 lbs. (6th percentile)
Arm: 32” (5th percentile)
Hand: 10 1/4" (79th percentile)

As an off-ball LB
HT: 6010 (30th)
WT: 243 lbs. (63rd)
Arm: 32” (37th)
Hand: 10 1/4" (90th)

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 27, 2025​

However, the combine measurements for a number of 2025 prospects have been under heavy scrutiny this year with the Pro Day measurements being considered the more accurate of the two this draft cycle. At Georgia’s exhibition, Walker’s arm length came in at a more respectable 32.625 inches (taken from Brugler’s draft guide “The Beast”), up to the 17th percentile at edge according to Mockdraftable.com.

This year you should assume a player's actual arm length is about .5 inch more than their combine measurement. If they measured in at a bowl or pro day go with that number.

Combine/Pro Day arm lengths for top OL:
Josh Conerly - 33.5/34.25
Will Campbell - 32.625/33
Tyler Booker -… https://t.co/bViycI8zQS

— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) March 26, 2025​

To me, the argument for Walker’s projection to edge relies heavily on previous examples of players with similar frames succeeding at edge. I’ve taken a look at frequent player comparison’s evaluators have made for Walker and put all of their measurements in a table to see them side-by-side.

While Walker is the shortest of the bunch, the rest of his measurements don’t stand out in any meaningful way - good or bad. Given the success of the other four players in this sample I can say I’m much more comfortable with Walker’s frame than I was before, with one huge caveat: Walker also has to be above a 90th percentile athlete.

#Georgia EDGE/OLB Jalon Walker will not participate in Pro Day on March 12th because of a quad strain that he suffered during training, sources tell ESPN.

Walker will have a private workout for NFL teams on April 17th. pic.twitter.com/dk1yGlTObA

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 4, 2025​

Unfortunately, due to a thigh injury Walker has yet to run any drills at either the combine or the Georgia’s Pro Day. Walker does have a private workout that NFL teams can attend scheduled for April 17th. Performing well at that workout, will be very beneficial to Walker’s public perception and ease some concerns of many draft evaluators, including yours truly.

Production​

For a player lauded as potentially the second best pass rush prospect in a deep edge class, it seems like you’d expect him to have more than just 6.5 sacks last season. Well, Walker’s sack total was the most on Georgia last year and he accomplished this with only 195 pass rush opportunities. Most of the top pass rushers in this draft class had at least 150 more pass rush attempts than Walker.

(Note: For consistency only PFF stats were used in the above table. PFF does not count half-sacks, which is why Walker is shown with 7 sacks instead of 6.5)

So, for what it is worth on a per snap basis, Walker has been comparably productive to the best pass rushers in this class. In particular, Walker’s standing amongst his peers in PFF’s signature Pass Rush Productivity (PRP) metric impresses me. According to PFF, the PRP metric gives added weight to sacks and QB hits because of their added value. In this metric, Jalon Walker is on par with the best pass rushers in this draft class. Of the prospects with at least 150 pass rush snaps in this draft class, Walker’s PRP of 11.8 is tied with Abdul Carter for 5th highest.

Conclusion​

Doing this dive into Walker’s profile has done a lot to assuage some of my concerns with him as a prospect. While I only dove into the pass rushing element of his game, that’s likely the single most important aspect in evaluating him as a potential top 10 overall selection. I still have some concerns about his profile as a strict linebacker, but I’m leaving this exercise far more comfortable with drafting Walker than I was when I started it.

Given the other pass rush options with projected value in the top half of the first round, Walker may be the only one that is both available (Carter expected to be gone by pick 8) and without significant character red flags (see: James Pearce and Mike Green).

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-really-the-dawg-the-panthers-are-looking-for

 

[Carolina Panthers]

An updated look at the Panthers top 30 visits

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

The Carolina Panthers have used up most of their allotted prospect visits in advance of the 2025 NFL Draft.

A couple weeks go, we looked at the early trends with the players that the Carolina Panthers had been visiting with in preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft. Since then, the Panthers have used most of the 30 pre-draft prospect visits that every team is allotted. Here are all the players the Panthers have met with in that capacity so far:

• Walter Nolen DT Ole Miss
• Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M
• Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona
• Josaiah Stewart EDGE Michigan
• Aireontae Ersery OT Minnesota
• Carson Schwesinger LB UCLA
• Deone Walker DT Kentucky
• Jaylin Noel WR Iowa State
• Femi Oladejo EDGE UCLA
• Jonas Sanker S Virginia
• Ollie Gordon II RB Oklahoma State
• Quincy Riley CB Louisville
• Ashton Gillotte EDGE Louisville
• Terrence Feguson TE Oregon
• RJ Harvey RB UCF
• Shemar James LB Florida
• Jarquez Hunter RB Auburn
• Cam Jackson DT Florida
• Warren Brinson DT Georgia
• Devonte Gordon OT Wake Forest

I talked about this a bit in the first piece—I’m surprised at how much effort the Panthers seem to be putting into looking at Day 3 running backs. Chuba Hubbard is locked down for a few years, they just used a high pick on Jonathon Brooks, and they have Rico Dowdle to split time with Hubbard this season. It just doesn’t seem like a position worth worrying about right now given how quickly running backs can come and go.

The visits with top prospects are thinner than many people might expect. Walter Nolen apparently has some off field concerns, so it’s unsurprising that he’s on the list as the team vets his personality. McMillan and Stewart fit positions of need, and I’m sure the Panthers have some questions for Stewart as to why he never produced in college despite seeming like he should have.

The NFL also allows teams to have “local visits” with players who are either from or went to college in the area of the NFL team. These visits are the same as top 30 visits but they don’t count as top 30 visits because they live nearby or something. Here are the prospects that meet that criteria:

• Jalon Walker LB Georgia
• Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
• Jaylin Lane WR Virginia Tech
• Kyle Kennard EDGE South Carolina
• Jordan Burch EDGE Oregon

Jalon Walker stands out due to how much reported interest there’s been with Walker even mentioning on Up and Adams that the Panthers have shown a ton of love in the pre-draft process. He’s pretty good, and he’s from just up the road in Salisbury. Carolina has also met with first round safety prospect Nick Emmanwori, who would definitely be in play if the Panthers make a trade to move back to the middle or later parts of the first round.

The visits at a whole paint a picture of a team that’s leaving no stone unturned when it comes to fixing a defense that allowed the most points in NFL history last season. Most of the moves made in free agency were about fixing that side of the ball, and based on who the team has been visiting with, it looks like they’re going to treat the draft the same way.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/11/24406058/an-updated-look-at-the-panthers-top-30-visits

 

[Carolina Panthers]

CSR Weekend Warriors: 4/11-4/13

Here’s a fresh weekend open thread just for you.

Feel free to use this thread to hang out over the weekend and chat about whatever you want (just make sure you follow the ToS ... the rules still apply here) with anyone who decides to stick around.

This is now an open thread!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/11/24406054/csr-weekend-warriors-4-11-4-13

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Results: Simmering optimism in the Carolinas

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Most Panthers fan think oddsmakers are underestimating Bryce Young and Dave Canales

When FanDuel released their win total odds for each team last week, we decided to ask y'all what you thought about their odds for the Carolina Panthers. They put the over/under on wins for Bryce Young and Dave Canales at 6.5 and y'all seemed to think that was a touch low.

90% of you, in fact, would take the over on that bet.

The Panthers are coming off of a strong finish to the 2024 season, relative to where they started, and have plenty of room left to improve. FanDuel apparently thinks that, after a whole offseason of work and additions, that the Panthers are only going to improve by 1.5 games over last season.

Yes, every team "gets better" in free agency and, yes, Dan Morgan still has every opportunity to air ball the entire draft. But that is all secondary to how the Panthers won five games last season and how they lost a handful more.

Young's improvement passed the eye test when he returned to play late last season and fans have little reason to believe he won't at least maintain his improved level of play. That alone, across a whole season, should be good for more than six wins.

We'll check back in with this question across the off season to see if and when this simmering optimism reaches a boil.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-fan-duel-simmering-optimism-in-the-carolinas

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Answers: Nailing down everyone’s favorite picks with 13 days left til the 2025 NFL Draft

Photo by Chris Keane/Getty Images

We bring you part two of this week’s fan mailbag!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We got a lot of questions about specific prospects and positions this time around, but I encourage you to go check out the thread itself for some great dialogue about prospects, and some info throughout the week on recent visits.

Let’s dive in!

panthers2112: Given your comments last week about trading up in the top five. I’m looking for recommendations on a table to flip in the event this happens. I’d like one that is well-balanced, and light enough to get some good rotational spin along it’s horizontal axis.

The only tables that should be getting flipped are those of other NFC South front offices WHEN the Panthers trade UP into the top five and get themselves a surefire cornerstone piece, and flip the script going forward for the division crown. Revel in it, my friends!

right_turn_clyde: Are there any players you think could be available in the early 2nd Rd. that would justify a trade-up to get them? If so, what do you think we’ll have to give up to make that move?

I think many of the edge rushers around that tier would be worth a trade up. Princely Umanmielen, Bradyn Swinson, etc. That’s the kind of position where the Panthers may not want to sit back and wait to see who falls. In that instance, they’ll probably need to get rid of a 3rd or 4th round pick to justify it, since the position is a premium. Or, trade future picks as always.

KeepPounding88: Everyone keeps talking about who our first pick is going to be, but who do you think the last pick of our draft will end up being?

Its gotta be a kicker, right? Depends to me on if the Panthers stay with their current batch of picks or if they end up using the late picks as part of trade packages.

Randallpink11: Here is a scenario...

Step 1: Take a swim to Trade Down Island. Jerry Jones has been drinking and he has fallen in love with Tyler Warren’s hairdo, so we accept a trade with the Cowboys to swap 1st rounders and get pick 44.

Step 2: Draft Malaki Starks with pick 12

Step 3. Draft Mason Taylor with pick 44

The rest has not come to me yet, but we have time. What do you think?

They aren’t taking Malaki Starks, I have accepted that and so should everyone else. Trading up for Tyler Warren would be an interesting choice, but you’ve identified a player that could be worth it to the right team. Adding more weapons for Dak Prescott does make sense. I like the trade, even if I do think its a little steep for The Cowboys.

Vashti2112: What color suit do you think pick no. 8 (whomever that is) will wear when they hug Goodell?

A) Salmon

B) Grey-silver

C) Pastel Blue

D) Metallic Royal Blue

E) Sea Foam Green

Gimme some good old Grey-Silver, with some white dress shoes.

WanderingGnome: Which NFC south team will have the best draft?

The Panthers, after they trade most of it to acquire Abdul Carter in the top 3.

GooseCreek: With the exception of a few high value prospects, the players available at any particular moment in this draft seem packed within a broad strata bands. Do you think this will mean that fans will be less likely to see their preferred favorites selected yet the disappointment level will be muted due to the relative prospect values being similar?

Stated differently, will fans be less derisive of the decisions that teams make during this draft?

I’ve always waited to make decisions on what I think of players picked after the 2nd round, because by then I only have a select few guys I might want to see the team take. However, fans (both casual and hardcore) are always going to be somewhat disappointed when a team like the Panthers can’t address every need they have. The reality is there's going to be at least one position on defense we’re going to be looking at as a major weakness, and likely another where we’re hoping for the best based on whatever dart (or darts) they’ve thrown at it later in the draft. And Draft day is like Christmas, your gift could be anything until you actually open it. Even the draft’s highest rated safety prospect. But inevitably, some people will be sad because they didn’t realize he wasn’t going to be the gift they were hoping for weeks ago.

ericbuck: Are there any prospects the Panthers have NOT shown any (reported) interest in that surprises you?

I know recent history has shown the Panthers often taking guys they have shown at least some interest in, but I’ll never forget the 2013 NFL Draft for one simple reason: the Panthers did not visit with DT Star Lotulelei, even when DT was far and away their biggest need on defense going into that Draft. Star did end up falling to their pick, and they didn’t hesitate to take him. Then they took DT Kawann Short with their next pick, someone they did bring in for a visit.

I totally get monitoring the visits, but there’s always players out there where for some reason the team didn’t show express interest in them. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Panthers top picks WON”T have visited with the team, but when you’re not picking in the top 5 or so, the Draft can fall a ton of different ways.

MarloBarksdale88: If Shavon Revel Jr was there at 57? And he was BPA would you consider him?

I’d be absolutely fine with this selection, he appears to be someone who could go anywhere from the late 1st to early 2nd based on some admittedly limited research. Whether or not he is the best player available is going to be entirely up to the beholder at the time of the selection. But the Panthers cornerback room is still very thin even after they brought back Mike Jackson and extended Jaycee Horn.

Dcangio09: https://x.com/PanthersAnalyst/status/1909399440693346510

For those who don’t know. Here’s a semi up to date list of every prospect Carolina has shown a high level of interest in one way or another. Black is defense and blue is offense. Separated by round and with their current consensus ranking. Here are 3 more that will be added to the list:

1) Carson Schwesinger LB UCLA Round 2. Consensus: 56

2) Jordan Burch DE Oregon Round 3. Consensus: 71

3) Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins DT/DE Georgia Round 6/7. Consensus 215

As you can tell they’re leaning heavy on defense with front 7 focus in particular. Good spread through all the rounds so far in different ranges.

Good observation and information from Dcangio here, wanted to highlight it. We might still end up scratching our heads by the end of the Draft, but the theme of this off-season has been very clear: fix the defense as best they can with their current resources.

dayneB12: Name 5 players you’d love to see the Panthers draft and 5 you don’t want to see them draft (any round)

S Xavier Watts, S Kevin Winston Jr, CB Azareye’h Thomas, S Lathan Ransom, DL Alfred Collins

I’m not in the business of hating draft picks on draft day. Sorry. The moves behind them such as trades, sure!

Join us next week for another round of questions and answers! KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...icks-with-13-days-left-til-the-2025-nfl-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey: Predicting the Panthers 2025 win total

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Will Carolina improve over 2024?

With the 2025 NFL season fast approaching, let's take a quick look ahead at how we think the Carolina Panthers will fare overall.

Despite their second consecutive 1-7 start to a season in 2024, the team rallied impressively to put together a 5-12 season. That is a remarkable improvement over their 2-15 record from 2023. A poor understanding of statistics would suggest anywhere between a 8-9 season and a 12-4-1 season in 2025.

More realistically, FanDuel has set the over/under for the Panthers' 2025 win total at 6.5 games. Today we're asking if you think Carolina will fall above or below that mark.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Carolina Panthers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...survey-predicting-the-panthers-2025-win-total

 

[Carolina Panthers]

What recent history tells us about the value (or lack thereof) of the Panthers three 2025 fifth-round picks

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Carolina currently holds picks No. 140, 146, and 153 in this year’s draft. Does it matter?

The Carolina Panthers currently hold three fifth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. By that point in the draft most teams are just scratching lottery tickets, hoping to find a player who can make the 53-man roster, play special teams, and ideally provide some adequate depth.

As I’ve stated in Trade Downs Island’s glorious constitution, few players drafted in Rounds 5-7 go on to have meaningful NFL careers. Sometimes the best thing teams can do with fifth-round picks is use them as trade fodder in this year’s draft, or try to trade them for fourth-round picks next year.

Why am I so down on fifth-round picks? Let’s let the Panthers draft history from 2016 through 2021 tell the story:

2021 - Daviyon Nixon, defensive tackle

Career stats: 14 games, 0 starts, 15 tackles, 0.5 sacks

Nixon’s career lasted just two seasons, both with the Panthers. His rookie campaign was somewhat promising with nine tackles over seven games with half a sack. He played 82 defensive snaps that year, but that dropped to 62 defensive snaps in 2022 before being waived.

Nixon wasn’t on an NFL roster in 2023 but was signed in 2024 by the Miami Dolphins, though he didn’t survive roster cuts. In February 2025 he signed with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades and is currently playing.

2021 - Keith Taylor, cornerback

Career stats: 45 games, 5 starts, 72 tackles, 6 passes defended (still active)

The first two seasons of Keith Taylor’s career were successful for a fifth-round pick. In his first two years with the Panthers he appeared in all 34 games with five starts, recording 67 tackles, six passes defended, and two fumble recoveries. Despite the stats, his 2022 PFF grade of 53.8 ranked just 106th of 122 cornerbacks. The production didn’t keep pace with the opportunity. The Panthers released him after the 2022 season.

He spent 2023 on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad then made the active roster in 2024. Last year he appeared in 11 games with five tackles, logging 79 defensive snaps and 132 on special teams. He signed last month with the Atlanta Falcons.

2020 - Kenny Robinson Jr., safety

Career stats: 19 games, 1 start, 18 tackles

As with Nixon and Taylor, Kenny Robinson lasted all of two seasons with the Panthers. In his first two campaigns he appeared in 19 games with one start, registering 18 tackles. In all he played 188 defensive snaps and 295 on special teams before being released.

He spent 2023 training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was let go during roster cuts. Robinson has spent the last two seasons with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions and is currently playing.

2019 - Jordan Scarlett, running back

Career stats: 10 games, 0 starts, 4 rushes, 9 yards; 1 tackle

In his 2019 rookie season Scarlett played eight offensive snaps and carried the ball four times for nine yards. While his offensive impact was limited, he was a special teams mainstay playing 113 snaps and recording one tackle. He landed on the injured reserve as a rookie and was waived after the season.

In 2021 he made the Miami Dolphins 53-man roster and appeared in one game, playing 16 special teams snaps. He then had short stints in the Canadian Football League and USFL.

2018 - Jermaine Carter Jr., linebacker

Career stats: 72 games, 31 starts, 194 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks

While Carter was never a superstar, he had a very successful five-year NFL career for a fifth-round pick. In his four years with the Panthers he appeared in each of the team’s 65 games, starting 30 of them. While mostly a depth piece and special teamer over his first three years, in 2021 he was pressed into a prominent role and started all 17 games, recording 88 tackles. But his PFF grade of 42.6 ranked 72nd of 89 players at his position that year.

After four years with the Panthers, Carter signed in 2022 with the Cleveland Browns practice squad and was eventually promoted to the 53-man roster. He appeared in seven games with 16 tackles with the Browns but was released after the season. He spent two weeks with the Houston Texans in May of 2023 before being released.

2017 - Corn Elder, cornerback

Career stats: 35 games, 1 start, 48 tackles, 4 passes defended

Elder didn’t play in his 2017 rookie season after suffering an injury and landing on the IR. Over the next two years he appeared in 15 games with the Panthers, mostly playing special teams. But in 2020 he cracked the rotation appearing in 16 games with 411 defensive snaps. That year he recorded 40 tackles with three passes defended. He left the Panthers as a free agent after the 2020 season.

In 2021 he joined the Washington Commanders and appeared in five games with five tackles. Elder spent 2022 on the Commanders practice squad. In 2024 he played for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks and had a sweet 98-yard pick-six. He is currently playing for the Roughnecks and is one of the team’s leading tacklers early in the UFL’s 2025 season.

2016 - Zack Sanchez, cornerback

Career stats: 5 games, 1 start, 9 tackles

Sanchez’s NFL career only lasted one year, his rookie season with the Panthers. After being drafted he was waived during roster cuts in 2016 then signed to Carolina’s practice squad. He made the 53-man roster later in the year and appeared in five games before hitting the IR. Sanchez spent 2017 on the Panthers practice squad then in 2018 signed a reserve/futures contract with the team before being released. He went on to have brief stints in the Alliance of American Football and the CFL.

In summary, many Panthers fifth-round picks go on to have pretty successful careers...in the UFL.

Most of Carolina’s fifth-rounders usually last about two seasons with the Panthers in reserve or special teams roles before getting waived. Hopefully GM Dan Morgan can find a little more value in this year’s draft as he prepares to scratch the team’s three fifth-round lottery tickets.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-of-the-panthers-three-2025-fifth-round-picks

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 4/14-4/18

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s this week’s open thread.

Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/14/24400186/the-scratching-post-4-14-4-18

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Asks: Bring us your Easter week questions!

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

We bring you another part one of our weekly fan mailbag!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Asks, part one of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone!

We got one more round of questions before we head into Draft week, as we’ll get to enjoy Good Friday and Easter in the coming days. Then, we’ll be ramping right up into coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the ensuing news. Mock drafts have come out galore, all the rumors are hitting a fever pitch, and we still don’t know what team is going to take a QB for sure after the Tennessee Titans next week.

So, bring us all your questions once again! Comment down below with whatever you’d like to talk about, whether it be Panthers related, football related, draft related, or even completely off topic! Later this week, I’ll answer some questions and highlight some answers in part two of the mailbag: Brian Answers.

Keep Pounding, and enjoy your week!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/15/24408845/brian-asks-bring-us-your-easter-week-questions

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Old Panthers faces in new NFL places

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

A number of recognizable Panthers were allowed to test the free agent markets and have found new homes in the first month of the offseason.

The NFL probably has the most turnover from year to year of all the major American professional sports leagues. Lots of rosters are filled with short term contracts, and the ones that look like longer term pacts are usually shorter deals in disguise. Teams are often forced to let players go more because of cap ramifications than on field ability, so these players often quickly find new homes.

The Panthers have popped up a lot over the offseason with all of the signings they’ve made, and it’s easy to lose track of who has left and where they’ve gone. There are a few sets of former Panthers that are going to be teammates again elsewhere.

Xavier Woods, Johnny Hekker - Titans

The Panthers lost one of their starting safeties and their starting punter to the Titans. Neither had quite lived up to their billing when they signed a couple of years ago. The Panthers don’t play the Titans next season, so a potential revenge game would have to wait.

Ian Thomas, Lonnie Johnson - Raiders

Johnson probably isn’t a household name since he played sparingly last season, but Thomas’s departure almost seems like the end of an era of sorts. He stuck around with the Panthers for seven years despite never topping the 333 receiving yards he had as a rookie. Injuries derailed his last two seasons, and he finally departed to sign with Pete Carroll’s Raiders.

Jordan Fuller, Feleipe Franks - Falcons

Fuller, like Woods, was not the caliber of safety the Panthers hoped they were getting at safety. He’ll reunite with his old defensive backs coach Raheem Morris, who is now head coach of the Falcons. Feliepe Franks was a mainstay on special teams who will perhaps be most remembered for dropping a pass on a fake punt. He returns to the team he started his NFL career with.

Dane Jackson - Bills

Speaking of players returning to where they came from, Jackson had four quality season with the Bills before coming to Carolina. An injury cost him the first half of the season and he never really found his place here. He signed a one year deal to go back to the Bills on the first day of free agency.

Sam Franklin - Broncos

Franklin has made a name for himself as a feisty special teams player that would do okay if called into spot duty at safety. I’m kind of surprised the Panthers elected to let him go, especially since he didn’t sign with anyone until the Broncos picked him up just last week.

Miles Sanders - Cowboys

Sanders signing with the Cowboys is perhaps the most interesting of the Panthers departures. He didn’t work out in Carolina after a Pro Bowl season with the Eagles, but he graciously stepped into a backup role behind workhorse Chuba Hubbard. The Cowboys elected to pick him up after he was waived. Meanwhile, they let their good and versatile back Rico Dowdle walk, and he’s now with the Panthers for only about $1.2 million more than the Cowboys are paying Sanders.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/15/24407872/old-carolina-panthers-faces-in-new-nfl-places

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey: Which need gets filled first in the draft?

Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

With as many needs as prospects, how will Carolina begin?

The No 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is a weird place for the Carolina Panthers to sit. The team has about as many needs as there are players eligible to be drafted. The problem is that there is not a lot of consensus at the top of the draft at a variety of positions. One man's steal is anothers over reach.

Some positions, like linebacker, offensive tackle, and defensive backs have multiple prospects considered to be the best or second best player at their position. Instead of arguing over which prospect is the best today, we're going to focus on which position group the team will pick first, whether or not you agree with their evaluation of the available players at that position.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Carolina Panthers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...vey-which-need-gets-filled-first-in-the-draft