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[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Asks: Easter Edition

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Bringing you part one of this week’s mailbag!

Hello CSR! Happy Easter, and welcome to Brian Asks, part one of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! I decided to kick this week off early, as the latter part of the week will be entirely devoted to coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft! Where the Panthers WILL NOT BE SELECTING S Malaki Starks. Kidding aside, this is the time we’ve all been waiting for since the very end of the 2024 regular season, and I wanted to give you all a little more time to ask questions, and I’ll be answering said questions a little earlier than usually scheduled.

You all know the drill, comment down below with all your questions, whether they be Panthers related, Draft related, football related, or even completely off topic! Later on this week, we’ll bring you Brian Answers, part two of the mailbag. I’ll answer your questions, highlight some of the best responses, and tell you why the Panthers are drafting Jalon Walker.

Comment down below, and KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/20/24412364/brian-asks-easter-edition

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Results: Draft predictions have fans on the Edge of their seats already

Photo by Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images

We made it to draft week y’all. Here’s what we all think is going to happen

In just four short days we will finally know who the Carolina Panthers will select with their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Whether or not that pick will be the No. 8 overall pick that they currently hold or some other result through the chicanery and magic of draft day trades remains to be seen. What we do know is that their roster is closer to a deli slice of swiss cheese than anything else: paper thin and full of holes.

The need of theirs that stands out the most has been apparent since before the 2024 season even began and it has remained, fairly consistently, the need that most fans have wanted and expected the team to address early—if not often—in the draft this year.

Outside linebackers handle most of the pass rushing responsibilities in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defense and are one of the shallowest groups on the Panthers’ ankle deep roster. It’s no surprise that everybody is expecting that group to be bolstered first on draft night. That only 51% of fans, and not more, think the Panthers are taking an outside linebacker on Thursday night is almost surprising. That is probably more indicative of where fans feel the talent lies in this draft class than what they think the Panthers may be planning to do.

You can bet on what position the Panthers will draft and more here at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-have-fans-on-the-edge-of-their-seats-already

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Scratching Post: 4/21-4/25

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/2025/4/21/24412804/the-scratching-post-4-21-4-25

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Panthers Reacts Survey: What do you want the Panthers to avoid in the first round?

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

The draft draws plenty of strong feelings, let’s attack those from a new angle

We've asked you six ways from Sunday which prospect, position, or trade opportunity you want to see the Carolina Panthers walk away with after the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. But we haven't asked you directly which position group you are hoping the team avoids.

For example, you may be pounding your coffee table for Tetairoa McMillan and OK with Jalon Walker, but would you give the draft a big, stinking F if the team drafts Malaki Starks because you aren't sold on him? Or maybe you're wary of the tweener or hybrid label that some put on Walker and Mykel Williams?

Vote in the poll and then defend your opinions in the comments below. Just know that whatever position group wins the popular vote is probably also the likeliest to be selected by the Panthers at the top of this draft.

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 fanhs across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...want-the-panthers-to-avoid-in-the-first-round

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Looking at the Panthers’ depth chart before the 2025 NFL Draft

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Carolina could walk out of the draft with as many as nine new starters

The Carolina Panthers are entering the 2025 NFL Draft with nine draft picks and a dizzying array of holes across their roster. Let’s take a look at their projected two-deep depth chart to see where the biggest holes actually are:

Offense​

Quarterbacks: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
Running backs: Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle
Wide receivers: Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, David Moore
Tight ends: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble
Offensive line: Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, Cade Mays, Yosh Nijman, Chandler Zavala

Defense​

Defensive line: Derrick Brown, Tershawn Wharton, A’Shawn Robinson, Bobby Brown III, Shy Tuttle, LaBryan Ray
Edges: Jadeveon Clowney, DJ Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, DJ Johnson
Inside linebackers: Josey Jewell, Trevin Wallace, Christian Rozeboom, Claudin Cherelus
Cornerbacks: Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, Shemar Bartholomew
Safeties: Tre’von Moehrig, Demani Richardson, Nick Scott

Specialists​

Kicker: Matthew Wright
Punter: Sam Martin
Long snapper: JJ Jansen

Long story short, there isn’t a position on this roster that wouldn’t benefit from a signficant talent infusion. The teams priorities are probably at edge, safety, and wide receiver, but tight end, center, offensive tackle, cornerback, and inside linebacker could easily enter the conversation for top 100 picks depending on how the draft board falls.

The focus on edge and safety, however, stand above the rest. The projected starters at edge, Clowney and Wonnum, are not guaranteed to be quality NFL starters across a 17-game season. The depth behind them inspires little confidence. The secondary is undermanned in general right now, but only having three safeties under contract simply will not be viable entering the season.

Fanduel is offering odds on who will be taken with the 8th overall pick. Those odds are a mix of who would fit the Panthers and the best overall players who might be available. That’s why you’ll see Jalon Walker (+100) sitting above Ashton Jeanty (+2700), even though nobody would weight them against each other in that way based on talent alone.

What I’d rather see are odds on the composition of the final draft class. If I had to bet on that I’d expect to see, with eight picks made when all is said and done, two edge players/linebackers, two defensive backs, an offensive tackle, a wide receiver, a quarterback, and a kicker. Those last three wouldn’t come before round five.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-chart-kicker-defensive-end-linebacker-safety

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Answers: Draftmas Eve Edition

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

We bring you part two of this week’s fan mailbag a little early in lieu of the Draft on Thursday!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of our weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! The NFL Draft approaches, so I wanted to knock this one out a little early. I hope you all enjoyed your Easter weekend. Let’s dive right in!

@WTMealey: Re dual threat Travis Hunter- What former or current Panthers were under utilized given their dual threat potential?

2 I think of is Peppers as TE in goal line situations and Chris Gamble who played in some years where are WR2 was trash

My pick is probably Curtis Samuel, at least from the standpoint of playing two positions. I think it took Carolina too long to figure out that using him as a running back at times made a lot of sense. By the time they really started actually doing that he was in a contract year.

As far as dual threat, I’d tend to agree with Julius Peppers. In his early years that dude showed insane ball skills on interceptions, but NFL offenses weren’t as creative back then. And certainly not the John Fox led Panthers.

yardstick: How many trades will Dan Morgan make during during the draff? I would put the over/under at 2. I say he will go over.

I’d take the over. I think Carolina will try to trade down from 8, whether or not they accomplish that is a different story. I do think they are virtually a lock to trade up somewhere in the mid rounds, they have three 5th round picks so I would think they’ll use one or two of them to move up the board in the 3rd or 4th rounds.

GooseCreek: Will Dan Morgan, Dave Canales and Brandt Tilis be able to work the war room and build an intent for each pick or trade and then approach Dave (and Nicole?) to be a final sounding board or will the owners be more underfoot during the draft process?

I haven’t seen much indication since Dave and Dan took over to think the Teppers are taking as much of an active role in decision making. I do think at least at 8 they’ll at least be consulted, but so far there hasn’t been anything overly overt that has transpired to make me think David Tepper has his hands in the cookie jar again.

Smoothc85: If Jalon Walker didn’t play for GA, do analysts still view him as a top 10 pick? I personally don’t see it. PFF has him at 24.

Maybe not, but it isn’t like Georgia doesn’t acquire good football players. And the college game is still very recruiting based even with all the NIL deals. I’ve seen Walker all over the place on draft boards, I’ve seen him go before the Panthers pick, soon after, and way later in the 1st round in mock drafts. The fact that so many analysts have him highly rated definitely makes me more optimistic about him if he ends up being the first selection the Panthers make.

positivebob: Will Morgan trade down? Will Jalon Walker go in the top 10, as the NFL consensus says, or in the 2nd half of the 1st, as CSR posters seem to think?

I think the Panthers absolutely intend to trade down given the right deal. I also think most of the teams picking around them would do the same. I do think Walker will go somewhere in his draft range of the top 10-15, but I don’t have anything to base that off other than mock drafts. The more active commenters are more pessimistic on Walker than I think the average, as he’s often more highly rated in some of the general polls we’ve run where people who don’t necessarily participate as often in the comments can still cast a vote. I guess we’ll see who is right on Thursday!

Jesse_Pinkman: Alright Brian, this is a long one.

Since I’m not from the US and never been to North Carolina and Charlotte before... If I’m going there, this season, to watch at least a game, and don’t want to be under the hot sun (yes, I’m from Brazil and I can’t stand hot temperatures) but also don’t want to freeze to death... What month should I pick to go over there? Maybe even catch a Hornets game while at it altough I’m a Lakers fan.

Cheers and a great week to you and everyone here in CSR.

October and early November were fine for me in the two home games I have attended. Other fans who have attended more home games should sound off below with their experiences!

dayneB12: Do you expect the Panthers to come out of the draft with more, less, or the same amount of picks heading into it?

I’d say about the same. I could see the Panthers pulling off the mythical early trade down where the lionshare of the added desert of the compensation is a future pick and not necessarily a few picks in this particular draft.

brake23: The Giants are open to trading back from 3. Do you think us trading up to #3 in exchange for Pick 74 and our 2026 2nd rounder is too much to get Abdul Carter if he’s available at Pick 3?

That’s not the worst deal for a top 3 pick, however I understand fans not being happy about the prospects of this, especially with how deep this draft is supposed to be at that particular position. I’d be happy they got Carter, but I don’t think they’ll make that trade.

Vashti2112: Dianna Russini had some interesting commentary.

- a lot of teams are calling 2-4 about moving up - most of them for Hunter.

- New England seems locked in on OL

- Jags seem to be looking for an offensive player.

- Raiders like Jeanty, but also thinking OL.

- Jets seem very interested in Warren

- Bears really seem to want Jeanty.

- Giants have talked a lot about moving up to 3, or moving back...or staying put and taking defensive stud at 3 and trading back up to back of first round to get a QB.

And a real interesting bit about player visits:

What a prospect visit really means: Many teams and fans like to read the tea leaves leading up to the draft, including what teams will do based on the 30 player visits they have set up over the past few weeks. As one successful general manager explained: “Just because a player visits doesn’t necessarily mean the team is interested. Sometimes it’s to be certain they are actually out on a player.”

Just wanted to highlight this as the last of the mailbag for this week. Good insight, and the point about the 30 visits is one I made in recent editions of the Answers Mailbag.

That’s all for this week, Panthers fans! Enjoy the Draft coverage all throughout the weekend, and KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/4/23/24415163/brian-answers-draftmas-eve-edition

 

[Carolina Panthers]

What time will the Panthers pick tonight?

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

A brief estimate of when Carolina will be on the clock.

The day is finally here and we have just hours left before the Carolina Panthers are officially on the clock to either make or trade the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. We have no way of knowing just yet if they will trade the pick, announce Jalon Walker, or kick Sebastian Janikowski out of the history books, but we can take a whack at estimating when they will be making that decision tonight.

The first round of the draft starts around 8:00 PM ET tonight. Teams will have ten minutes to make their selection. Teams have historically averaged about eight minutes per pick.

My guess is that things will not be exactly on time, but that the first few no-brainer picks will be announced in quick succession.

Let's estimate that the Tennessee Titans announce Cam Ward as the first overall pick at 8:15 and, to draw out the broadcast, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter will be announced about five minutes apart after that. That leaves the New England Patriots on the clock about 8:25. From here we'll assume teams take the average amount of time to make and announce their selections.

That would put the Carolina Panthers on the clock to make the eighth overall pick at 8:57 PM ET. We can expect Dan Morgan to milk every second in pursuit of a trade back that is unlikely to materialize. That would have the Panthers announcing their pick at 9:07 PM ET.

If forced to pick then it is worth noting that the team has been connected to Walker with what ammounts to speculative chains at this point, which would make him the smart bet, if one were so inclined. But Walker is also picking up steam as a possibility for teams ahead of the Panthers.

It's draft week, so rumors abound. What is known is that this is a historically soft first round, with little difference between the 8th and the 20th picks. Expect the team to take their time deciding on a player no matter when they are ultimately on the clock.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...irst-round-2025-nfl-draft-when-will-they-pick

 

[Carolina Panthers]

First round draft grades: A lot of folks are mad that Jalon Walker wasn’t the pick

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With some high and some middling grades, the value of instant grades has been proven once again

Instant draft grades are a low-rate, traffic driven business that nobody likes, nobody is right about, and everybody looks for in the moments after a pick is made. Ain’t that the NFL in a nutshell? For all that various outlets’ big boards usually line up pretty closely in the days ahead of the draft, grades tend to vary widely depending on how closely the actual draft adhered to an analysts’ mock. Tetairoa McMillan is proving all of that to be true as draft grades from major outlets are all over the place on his selection by the Carolina Panthers as the 8th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Here’s a quick rundown of the marks he was given in the last twelve hours:

Chad Rueter, NFL.com, Draft Grade: C​

It was surprising to see McMillan come off the board in the top 10. Carolina could have selected tight end Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren as the big target for Young. They also could have taken edge/linebacker Jalon Walker and met their receiver need later in the draft.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports, Draft Grade: C​

I don’t love this pick. I know they need to get help for Bryce Young, but I thought Matthew Golden was a better option. They also have defensive needs. McMillan doesn’t run that well, which is always a concern.

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today, Draft Grade: C​

Most importantly, even in a deep class at edge rusher, Carolina will be hard-pressed to find the premier defensive difference-maker it could have had here with someone like Jalon Walker.

Danny Kelly, The Ringer, Draft Grade: A​

This is a great pick for the Panthers, who add a big-bodied pass catcher to a receiving corps that still needs a go-to guy. McMillan has a huge catch radius, attacks the football, and brings some run-after-the-catch talent to the Carolina offense. I understand the concerns around the team’s god-awful defense, but nothing is more important to this team, in both the short and long term, than developing quarterback Bryce Young.

JP Acosta, SB Nation, Draft Grade: A-​

McMillan is the big receiver they need, but he can win in the intermediate area to keep that offense efficient. Dave Canales should love him. Don’t hate how high he went here, considering WR Drake London went eighth in 2022 and they’re similar players.

PFF.com, Draft Grade: Very Good (Seems to be the equivalent of a B/A-)​

McMillan was one of the more productive receivers in college football over the past two seasons, ranking in the 85th percentile or better among qualifying NCAA wideouts in receiving grade versus single coverage, yards per route run and contested-catch rate.

This really all boils down to whether or not the evaluator liked McMillan as a prospect or simply wanted the Jalon Walker rumors to be true. These are instant grades, so of course they aren’t going to go in depth on team fit.

Walker ended up going 15th overall to the Atlanta Falcons, whereas rumor had it the Los Angeles Rams were trying to trade ahead of the Panthers in the first round to snag McMillan before we got a chance. Value in the draft is only ever what the team selecting at the time thinks it is.

As Panthers fans, let’s take heart in the fact that there are numerous independent talent evaluators out there who are head-over-heels for what McMillan can bring to the table. We’ve been asking for a long time for the Panthers to actually invest in a franchise quarterback and here they are doing it. Like I said last night, that’s reason enough for me to give them top marks for this pick.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...olina-panthers-tetairoa-mcmillan-jalon-walker

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Princely Umanmielen: Team fit and projections

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

Double dipping at edge doesn't mean they have taken two of the same player

It turns out the Carolina Panthers weren’t done adding to the Edge group on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, trading up with the New England Patriots for a second time to select Princely Umanmielen out of Ole Miss with the 77th overall pick.

Unlike the Panthers last selection of Nic Scourton in round 2, there’s a fair bit more athletic testing data available for Umanmielen. For edge rushers in particular, you do love to see explosive jumps and Umanmielen’s 38 inch vertical jump 10.5 feet broad jump qualify.

Princely Umanmielen is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.98 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 207 out of 2012 DE from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/o0gtOSrgn3 pic.twitter.com/3HwZaQjfDa

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 31, 2025​

Umanmielen will be 23 during his entire rookie season, with his birthday being exactly one week before the day he was drafted. On the lighter side at 244, his arms were measure at nearly 34.5 inches at his pro-day, one of the longest of any edge in the draft.

Now for the good stuff: Umanmielen was an absolute menace rushing the passer in 2024. For a team like the Panthers missing a designated 3-4 outside backer that excels at putting pressure on the quarterback, he fits like a glove. Of his 474 snaps in 2024, 464 of them were on the ball, lined up outside the tackle.

He made those plays count, putting up some explosive production including 11 sacks and 14 tackles for loss in 2024 alone. His more advanced metrics are even more compelling. A 91.1 pff defensive grade, 91.5 pass rush grade, whopping 22.8 pass rush win rate and a 8.6% run-stop rate all rank around the 90th percentile among edge rushers in this year’s draft.

He does have moments where he will get completely washed out of the run game, but overall his attacking style usually had him in good position to affect the run in college. In the NFL though, he’ll probably need to be able to stand-up and hold the point of attack more often than he needed to at Ole Miss.

In the short term, Umanmielen becomes one of the Panthers most explosive designated pass rushers. He’ll join Nic Scourton in competition for snaps behind projected starters Jadeveon Clowney and DJ Wonnum, but I would expect him to very quickly become a priority to get on the field on so-called “money downs” like 3rd down passing situations. In obvious run situations, Umanmielen’s play strength might make him a bit of a liability so there shouldn’t be an expectation for him to immediately become an every down player like Scourton could be early on.

Long-term, Umanmielen is a little older than Scourton so his ceiling is likely a little more limited. That said, Umanmielen probably has the highest double digit sack potential of any of the edges currently on the Panthers roster. If he can learn to refine his pass rush plan instead of making it up as he goes during each rep, he could become a great “closer”. As a run defender, if he can become a little more stout, he could develop into a 3 down player for the Panthers.

The Panthers brain trust saw an opportunity to add some juice to the edge room and might have struck gold if his production translates into the big leagues.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...en-carolina-panthers-team-fit-and-projections

 

[Carolina Panthers]

The Panthers select Mitchell Evans with the 163rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

The Panthers added another tight end with their first pick in the 5th round.

With the 163rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Panthers selected tight end Mitchell Evans out of Notre Dame.

The Panthers once again stood pat with their day 3 pick after a wild trading flurry in day 2. They eventually nabbed Mitchell Evans with their first pick in the 5th round.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...ans-with-the-163rd-pick-in-the-2025-nfl-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Carolina Panthers 2025 Undrafted Free Agent tracker

David T. Foster III/Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Live updates on the Panthers’ last roster-filling scramble of the offseason

The Carolina Panthers are fresh off the high of a widely appreciated 2025 NFL Draft. This is the first year I can remember where at least half of our comments section wasn’t immediately throwing televisions at their walls as trade details were leaked, talent was left on the board, or both. Congrats, Dan Morgan, but the weekend’s not over yet.

Now is the truly treacherous time of the draft. We’re all going to fall in love with some guys that had as much business being undrafted as the rest of the league believes they would have had being undrafted.

These are the folktale heroes who we believe can be solid depth pieces, contributors, starters, even hall of famers. Six members of this class from last year are still on the Panthers roster today, so there is a very real chance that some of the guys who make this post this weekend will be part of the team’s calculus going into the 2025 season.

Keep it here to see an updated list of the Panthers UDFA class. This will just be a running list of players, positions, and the schools they came from. We’ll dig in over the coming week to analyze who they are and what we might be able to hope for from them.

2025 UDFA Class​

• Ethan Garber, Quarterback, UCLA
• Michael Tarquin, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma
• Jacolby George, Wide Receiver, Miami
• Steven Losoya III, Offensive Line, Vanderbilt
• Ryan Fitzgerald, Kicker, Florida State
• Kobe Hudson, Wide Receiver, University of Central Florida
• Trevian Thomas, Safety, Arkansas State
• Bam Martin-Scott, Linebacker, South Carolina
• Mike Reid, Cornerback, South Dakota
• Jack Henderson, Defensive Back, Minnesota

Members of the 2024 UDFA Class who are on the roster today:​

• Jack Plummer, Quarterback, Louisville
• Jalen Coker, Wide Receiver, Holy Cross
• Popo Aumavae, Nose Tackle, Oregon
• Andrew Raym, Center, Oklahoma
• Demani Richardson, Safety, Texas A&M
• Kenny Dyson, Outside Linebacker, Bryant

The Panthers picks in the 2025 NFL Draft:​

• Round 1 (8): Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Reciever, Arizona
• Round 2 (51): Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
• Round 3 (77): Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole Miss
• Round 4 (114): Trevor Étienne, Running Back, Georgia
• Round 4 (122): Lathan Ransom, Safety, Ohio State
• Round 5 (140): Cam Jackson, Defensive Tackle, Florida
• Round 5 (163): Mitchell Evans, Tight End, Notre Dame
• Round 6 (208): Jimmy Horn, Jr, Wide Reciever, Colorado

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...arolina-panthers-undrafted-free-agent-tracker

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Insanely Early 2026 NFL Mock Draft

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Seriously, why are you reading this?

Now that the 2025 NFL Draft has come to a close, let's look ahead to the 2026 iteration before any games have been played. Obviously nothing will change in the next 51 1/2 weeks. The draft order for the first round is based on Super Bowl odds according to ESPN.

1. New York Giants - Isaiah World, OT, Oregon

The Giants took a first round QB this year and didn't pick up Evan Neal's fifth year option.

2. Tennessee Titans - Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

Woods played out of position last season, so he should have a much greater impact after moving back inside.

3. New York Jets - Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

Justin Fields is what he is, and the Jets need more than that.

4. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars) - Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Unless Shedeur Sanders lights the NFL on fire, expect the Browns to use one of their first round picks on a QB.

5. Cleveland Browns - Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

With a new QB comes a need for protecting said QB.

6. Indianapolis Colts - Carson Beck, QB, Miami

If the Colts already brought in Daniel Jones to compete with Anthony Richardson, they might just start the whole process over next year if things don't turn around in a hurry.

7. Las Vegas Raiders - Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Pete Carroll loves having a strong secondary on defense.

8. New Orleans Saints - Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

The Saints spent a second round pick on a QB, so they'll need to get him some weapons next year.

9. Carolina Panthers - Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Texas

The Panthers improved their defensive line in free agency and the draft. Here they grab an insanely athletic swiss army knife to fill the Frankie Luvu role but perhaps even better.

10. New England Patriots - Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

The Patriots have worked to surround Drake Maye with talent on offense, now Vrabel turns to the defense.

11. Seattle Seahawks - Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson

Sam Darnold is who he is, so the Seahawks will likely look for the future at the position.

12. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) - Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State

Matt Stafford is turning 87 years old this year, so the Rams have to start planning for the future.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

Great run blocker, good enough pass blocker who can start right away for the Steelers.

14. Arizona Cardinals - Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

Massive player who can get after the QB from the interior of the defensive line.

15. Miami Dolphins - Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

If he recovers well from his ACL tear, he'll be one of the best corners in the draft.

16. Dallas Cowboys - Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

The Cowboys were hoping Ashton Jeanty would fall to them. This time around their workhorse back does.

17. Denver Broncos - Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU

Sean Payton adds an explosive playmaker for Bo Nix.

18. Chicago Bears - Christen Miller, DT, Georgia

Georgia is Front Seven U, and Miller is the next big thing from the Bulldogs.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Charles Jagusah, OT, Notre Dame

A massive player who might have to move inside to guard. Regardless, he'll be a heck of a player.

20. Minnesota Vikings - Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Another versatile disruptive player for Brian Flores to scheme up.

21. Houston Texans - Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

Entering his third straight year starting at left tackle for the Canes, a player like this could do wonders for CJ Stroud.

22. Las Angeles Chargers - David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Right now he's just a speed rusher, but another year in college should help him expand his pass rush repertoire.

23. Los Angeles Rams - Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Miss

After using Atlanta's pick to get their QB, the Rams bolster their pass rush.

24. Green Bay Packers - TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson

The Packers normally have very specific measurables they look for, but Parker's production is too good to pass up.

25. Washington Commanders - Zxavian Harris, DT, Ole Miss

The Commanders still need to replace Jonathan Allen, and Harris could be that guy.

26. Cincinnati Bengals - Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Several Aggies were drafted on the defensive line this year, and Howell will likely be the best one drafted next year.

27. San Francisco 49ers - Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

They traded away Deebo and Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors were swirling. They need some young, cheap weapons.

28. Detroit Lions - Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon

With Jameson Williams's future uncertain, the Lions draft another freakish athlete.

29. Buffalo Bills - Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Joey Bosa is a short term rental. Jacas has some nice versatility on the defensive front.

30. Baltimore Ravens - Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

We'll see if he just benefitted from having Abdul Carter on the other side, but DDS could be a dynamic pass rusher.

31. Kansas City Chiefs - Jalen Kilgore, S, South Carolina

Kilgore has played both safety positions and will get snaps at nickel this year. With Justin Reid gone, the Chiefs need that type of player.

32. Philadelphia Eagles - KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

Philly is paying Hurts over $40M per year, so keeping Brown and Smith on the outside might not be financially viable.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...draft-carolina-panthers-super-bowl-projection

 

[Carolina Panthers]

What to make of the Jadaveon Clowney trade rumors?

Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Did Carolina draft enough pass rushing help to jettison one of their best edge defenders?

A few noncommittal comments from Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan after the draft is all it takes to spin up the rumor mill to full power. The team reportedly had some conversations about trading Clowney pre-draft that obviously did not go anywhere immediately. That was followed by Carolina drafting two players on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft at their biggest position of need. Now, the question of the day seems to be where will he play this year?

Where is Clowney now?​

Clowney, a Rock Hill, SC native and product of the University of South Carolina, came home to play for the Panthers on the tail end of his career. The former first overall pick was held back from living up to his draft billing by injuries, but he has carved out a remarkably durable, journeyman career as a mercenary free agent.

He is now entering the second year of a two-year contract that he signed with Carolina worth $20M. He is set to count $13M against the Panthers cap. Trading him would leave $4M in dead cap this year and save the team $9.7M.

Clowney put up 5.5 sacks as a starting outside linebacker/edge defender last season for the Panthers. That’s a step down from his career highs of 9.5 sacks (2017, 2023), but not out of line with his average (5.8). He was perhaps overtasked with trying to lead an oft-broken unit against teams that spent much of the season nursing a lead over the Panthers through the second half. At this point in his career, entering his 11th season, he would be best served as a rotational pass rusher and locker room leader.

With the Panthers?​

That is exactly the role that Carolina is poised to offer him with D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones II set to be the team’s veteran starters at the outside linebacker position and new draft picks Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen pencilled in as young, rotational talent. Clowney could excel coming off the bench as a teacher as much as a leader.

The rest of the Panthers OLB group right now is comprised of once-promising young players who have not made an impact despite ample opportunity. The Panthers defensive shelves are often described as bare and these guys have done little to change that opinion. Clowney, if he stays with the Panthers, would round out a surprisingly deep group if the rookies are able to flash any real promise. Rookies and promises that would, of course, be best served by veteran mentorship.

Somewhere else?​

The $9.7M in cap savings is not insignificant this season, however. While edge is a need, it is not the only need. The Panthers are perilously thin at safety, so much so that fans are talking about undrafted free agent rookies making substantial contributions at the position. There are several veteran free agents available. Julian Blackmon and Justin Simmons come to mind, for example. The problem is they will require money for their services.

The Panthers have $17M in cap space available right now. About $7M of that will be required to sign their new draft picks. The remaining space is hardly enough to sign a new starter and have enough room for flexibility through the season.

Carolina has a variety of options to make space, such as extending Taylor Moton’s contract to reduce his massive cap hit, but they may be loathe to follow that avenue given the potential uncertainty around Moton’s own future with the team.

Trading Clowney may be the most prudent move to balance the defense, balance the books, and hopefully get a little extra draft capital for next year.

Will they pull the trigger?​

The Carolina Panthers are no strangers to trades. Dan Morgan spun in and out of trades involving Donte Jackson, Diontae Johnson twice, Jonathan Mingo, and Brian Burns just in the last year. He was reportedly also on the phone plenty talking to teams about the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He said afterwards that he was not “blown away” by any of those calls.

That leads me to believe that there is a good chance that Clowney ends up on the move, but a trade is not guaranteed. Morgan just needs to see the value in trading Clowney exceeds the value in keeping him.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...trade-rumors-nic-scourton-princely-umanmielen

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Reacts Results: Overwhelming number of fans positive about Tetairoa McMillan

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Panthers fans are over the moon about the team investing in their offense

The numbers are in and fans of the Carolina Panthers are overwhelmingly in favor of general manager Dan Morgan’s decision to draft Arizona Wildcat wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This comes just one year after the team traded into the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to nab South Carolina Gamecock wide receiver Xavier Legette.

Never before have the Panthers drafted two wide receivers in back-to-back years. The team has drafted skill players in back-to-back years, most recently with Christian McCaffrey (2017, eighth overall) and D.J. Moore (2018, 24th overall), but this is a specific investment in the passing game for this team.

McMillan is in fact the fourth consecutive offensive player drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the draft. Ikem Ekwonu (sixth overall, 2022) and Bryce Young (1st overall, 2023) are also part of this unprecedented run. I know that’s a large part of why I’m so excited about McMillan.

Whether or not history plays a huge role or people just like a shiny new toy on offense, 70% of voters gave the McMillan pick and A or a B last Thursday night. I know a lot of folks were disappointed the pick wasn’t on defense, specifically an edge rusher, but I’m curious how these grades would have changed after the team took new edge rushers on Day 2 of the draft.

With only 9% of the fan base seeming actively opposed to the McMillan selection, this seems like the start of a new day of harmony and peace amongst the Panthers faithful that will definitely survive McMillan or Young’s first turnover in 2025.

Obviously the team is gambling big on Young’s continued growth as a quarterback with this selection. But it is encouraging to see the Panthers offense getting some love nationally after this. The Athletic (paywall) has a new post draft fantasy power rankings article up today that ranks two Panthers skill position players, including McMillan, in the top 60. Meanwhile, FanDuel has listed McMillan at +950 on their Offensive Rookie of the Year odds. That puts him just behind Ashton Jeanty (+270), Cameron Ward (+380), and Travis Hunter (+750).

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...l-draft-fans-positive-about-tetairoa-mcmillan

 

[Carolina Panthers]

Brian Asks: Bring us your questions following the 2025 NFL Draft!

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

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

Good morning CSR! Welcome to Brian Asks, part one of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! We’re days removed from the frenzy of the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we can discuss the fallout for the team. Over the last several weeks, I fielded a ton of questions about who the Panthers would take, if they would trade back, and whether or not Jalon Walker (who the Panthers were totally going to Draft) was a bust or not. Well, you’ll have to table all those questions for another 7-8 months, as we’re Post-Draft now.

You all know the drill. This forum is for you to ask all of your questions, whether they be Panthers related, football related, or even completely off topic. Comment down below with your questions, and later on this week I’ll answer them. Except for questions about Malaki Starks. The Panthers were never going to take him and I’ve been telling you that for weeks.

I look forward to seeing what you all want to talk about. Be well, and KEEP POUNDING!

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...s-your-questions-following-the-2025-nfl-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

NFC South Review: How the Falcons got better in the draft

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

The Carolina Panthers’ division rival shored up their biggest weakness in the draft.

The Carolina Panthers had themselves a nice draft. They landed another target for Bryce Young and got some young pass rushers to bolster their defense. They’ve got to be feeling good about how they’ve improved their team. The same can be said for a lot of their rivals.

The Atlanta Falcons had a draft that seemed to be based on a bunch of Carolina Panther mock drafts. Their selections:

• 15: Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
• 26: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
• 96: Xavier Watts, Safety. Notre Dame
• 118: Billy Bowman, Safety, Oklahoma
• 218: Jack Nelson, Tackle, Wisconsin

The Falcons kicked off their draft by selecting CSR’s favorite prospect, Jalon Walker. They traded a 2026 first round pick to get back into the first round to select James Pearce Jr. The Falcons were one of just two teams that generated fewer sacks than the Panthers last season. While rookie pass rushers don’t always make the biggest impact, the pair should improve the disruptiveness of Atlanta’s front seven.

They continued to address their woeful pass defense in the middle rounds with a couple of safeties. Unlike the Panthers who have seemingly been targeting players more thought of as box safeties, the Falcons picked two cover safeties in Watts and Bowman. The Falcons already have one of the better cover safeties in the league with Jessie Bates III, so it’ll be interesting to see how they deploy their rookies. Jordan Fuller currently occupies the other safety spot. Panthers fans are acutely aware of the caliber of player he is right now, so the starting spot alongside Bates is up for the taking.

The Falcons did mortgage their future and limit their additions by moving up to secure their targets. That will probably come back to bite them down the road. But in the here and now, it looks like they improved upon their biggest weakness last season by adding a couple of highly regarded pass rushers.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...eview-how-the-falcons-got-better-in-the-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

What to look for in Bryce Young’s 2025 season

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Will the Panthers quarterback have a strong season?

Bryce Young had an unusual sophomore season as a pro. The 2023 first overall pick was benched after two straight terrible games against the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. New Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales switched to Andy Dalton and most of us thought that was it for Young’s career as a Panther. Instead, Young returned to the starting line-up in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos and slowly built a body of work that fans could believe in.

What happened in 2024?​

Sure, Young was still 4-6 after his return but wins and losses aren’t everything. Playing against a murderer’s row of opponents—including both the eventual AFC and NFC Champion teams in the Kansas City Chiefs and the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles—didn’t help and neither did having one of the worst defenses in the history of the NFL.

The optimistic story out of those last ten weeks is centered on the four wins—versus New Orleans, against the New York Giants, versus the Arizona Cardinals, and at the Atlanta Falcons—and the two close loses against Kansas City and Philadelphia. Young looked competent and focused in those games. He was also accurate and decisive. He was, in short, every bit the quarterback we were told to expect during his rookie season. I am optimistic, though not totally convinced, that these games represent the floor of Young’s talent for the rest of his career.

Did that leave us with a predictive statistical sample?​

To take his stats from just those games and average them across a 17-game season would be the height of cherry picking, however. As a Panthers fan, I have a healthy respect for those kinds of heights. One might call it a deeply jaded phobia.

Instead, we’re going to take his combined stat line from all ten of Young’s starts after he was benched and average those across a 17-game season. Hopefully this gives us a reasonable starting point. In those ten games. Young completed 197 of his 319 pass attempts for a 61.76% completion rate, 2104 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also ran the ball 37 times for another 223 yards, five touchdowns, and five fumbles, two of which were turnovers.

What should Young’s stats be in 2025?​

That would make for season-long stat line of 335 completions on 542 attempts for 3,577 yards, 26 touchdowns, and ten interceptions, with another 63 rushing attempts for 379 yards on the ground and about nine more touchdowns and fumbles. That would have had Young as the ninth most prolific passer by attempts and 16th by yards in the 2024 season. The yardage would have been just 150 yards behind C.J. Stroud’s 2024.

That’s the stat line we would hope to expect out of Young if he was rolling back the exact same team from 2024 into 2025. It is certainly an acceptable, but not inspiring line. The good news for Panthers fans is that there have been significant changes on both sides of the ball that should favor Young.

Is that all?​

First and foremost, the defense should be better. Young will probably often be playing from behind, but hopefully not from as impossibly behind as he was in his worst games.

Second, the commitment to Chuba Hubbard and signing of Rico Dowdle behind the Panthers monster offensive line signals that the team is finally serious about committing to the running game. That should give Young more time to pass from more advantageous down and distances than the usual second or third and extremely longs that Young saw regularly last season.

Third, the addition of Tetiaroa McMillan to the receiving corps should diversify and improve Young’s range of targets. Defenses only have so much attention they can pay to each player, more talent means more targets. This is very much a “rising tide lifts all boats” scenario if McMillan is even half the receiver he is projected to be.

What should I watch for?​

There are three things to keep a loose eye on in 2025 that will key us into whether or not Young is taking the next step forward. They all are going to relate to efficiency, stress, and what Young is being asked to do.

The first is is just Young’s completion percentage, this will account for the first thing we’re looking for and so much more. This is going to be the easiest quick check of how things are going. If the Panthers are running the ball wall, creating easier passing downs for Young, and this number is not improving over the 61.76% mark from the end of last season then Young—and the Panthers—might be in trouble.

The second is how often the Panthers find themselves in third and long situations while trailing their opponent. This is going to give us a barometer for how much pressure Young is under from a game situation perspective and provide nuance to the basic completion percentage stat. The more often the Panthers are in this situation the more often Young is going to be asked to complete lower percentage throws. This not only will affect Young’s stats but it will also affect our perception of them. If he’s 62% and his average to-go distance is 3 yards then I’m going to feel a lot differently about his play than I am if he’s 62% and his average to-go distance is 8 yards.

The third thing to watch for are big plays. Young was rated by multiple analysts as one of the best deep ball throwers in the NFL over the last six or so weeks of 2025. He put together some awesome tape in that regards and it is one of his traits that I find the most promising going forwards. If he is asked to launch moon shots every drive on 3rd and 15 and regularly missing them then that is largely a team problem. If he is hitting them on 2nd and 2 two or three times a game then the Panthers will be in business against any opponent in the league. The reality is likely to be somewhere in between those extremes. How close it falls to one extreme or the other is going to be a good indicator for how optimistic we should be about Young’s season.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...a-panthers-predicting-bryce-youngs-2025-stats

 

[Carolina Panthers]

NFC South Review: The Saints did a draft

Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints had a draft that left many pundits pondering.

The Carolina Panthers had a draft that made most Panthers fans happy. The Atlanta Falcons did the same, as we talked about here. The New Orleans Saints? Maybe not so much. They’ve developed a bit of a reputation for odd draft strategies; think trading up to reach for Marcus Davenport in 2018. They didn’t do anything to fight that perception in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Their picks:

• 9: Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
• 40: Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville
• 71: Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas
• 93: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
• 112: Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
• 131: Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
• 184: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
• 248: Moliki Matavo, TE, UCLA
• 254: Fadil Diggs, Edge, Syracuse

The Saints went tackle with their first pick. Offensive linemen are usually a solid pick at worst, and that should pertain to Banks in a vacuum. He was projected as the third tackle off the board, and that’s where he went, even if it was a bit sooner than a lot of people projected. He’ll battle with 2022 first round pick Trevor Penning for a starting spot opposite 2024 first round pick Taliese Fuaga. All that said, using a first round pick on the same position three out of four years probably isn’t the best way to build a well rounded team.

The middle rounds don’t seem to do much for the short term. They took a swing at a quarterback of the future and picked the one that seemingly has the least amount of future. They went with seventh year senior Tyler Shough, who will turn 26 within a month of the start of the season. He backed up Justin Herbert at Oregon and was in the same high school class as Trevor Lawrence. He’s coming off his lone good collegiate season (that came at age 24/25). It’s fair to wonder how he’ll translate to the NFL.

Vernon Broughton will be tasked with shoring up the run defense and helping with interior push. He was taken 71st, which is higher than just about any mock draft had him. He was the 125th ranked player according to this mock draft consensus. Safety Jonas Sanker was a similar reach compared to media consensus. The day three picks look better on paper, but they’re still day three picks.

Instant reactions to the Saints’ draft have generally been poor. They didn’t address any of their most pressing needs and reached for players at positions that are either of lower value or less pressing of a need. I don’t see any of their picks helping their team make drastic improvements this season. There’s just not a lot there to get really excited about, and that’s not good for a team that’s been mediocre for several years despite being one of the oldest and most cash strapped team in the league. If there’s any team that badly needs to hit on a draft class, it’s the Saints, and they didn’t give themselves a great chance of that happening.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/2025/5/1/24421836/nfc-south-review-the-saints-did-a-draft

 

[Carolina Panthers]

New Panthers WR battled auto-immune disease in year away from football

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Hunter Renfrow sat out the entire 2024 NFL season while battling ulcerative colitis.

New Panthers wide receiver Hunter Renfrow stepped away from the game prior to the 2024 season at the early age of 28. At the time, we were only given so much information regarding the reasons behind his retirement. But now, following his signing in Carolina. Renfrow has let it be known that an auto-immune disease (ulcerative colitis) was the reason he needed to take some time away from the game.

“It kicked my butt pretty good,” Renfrow told the Carolina Panthers’ team website after signing with the club over the weekend. “Last year, I fluctuated in weight; I went down to 150 pounds. I had like seven straight days of 103-degree fevers. It’s tough to play when you’re not feeling great.”

Per Renfrow, he’s back up to 187 pounds which is right around where he expects to play this upcoming season.

“It’s just trying to get back, trying to get healthy, trying to do something I love,” Renfrow said. “I enjoyed other parts of life. We had our second daughter, so enjoying that and just wanting to make sure if I’m going to come back and give my time and attention to something that I was going to be all in on it.”

In his final season with the Raiders before stepping away, Renfrow posted 25 receptions for 255 yards and zero touchdowns as he struggled to find targets in an offense that heavily-featured All-Pro Davante Adams while struggling to behind a rookie quarterback in Aidan O’Connell. Renfrow’s best season came in 2021 when hauled 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. All of those numbers remain his career highs. In five seasons with Las Vegas, Renfrow totaled 269 catches, 2,884 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns.

Renfrow will be part of a wide receiver room that features fellow veteran Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, and 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan.

Source: https://www.catscratchreader.com/20...-colitis-autoimmune-disease-tetairoa-mcmillan

 

[Carolina Panthers]

CSR Weekend Warriors: 5/2-5/4

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/2025/5/2/24418647/csr-weekend-warriors-5-2-5-4