Adrian Fedkiw
Each day leading up to the official start of the NFL football season, I will be providing you with player rankings, team previews, analysis, predictions, opinions and a whole lot more.
After flirting with an undefeated season, what will the Carolina Panthers have for an encore?
Or will they fall into the Super Bowl hangover trap?
How about reigning MVP Cam Newton, who tallied 45 touchdowns last year, 35 through the air and 10 on the ground. And that was with a mediocore receiving core that was without Kelvin Benjamin. Can Newton repeat that same type of success?
Although the Panthers let cornerback Josh Norman walk, they’ll still have a plethora of players returning on both sides of the ball, including one of the elite ones in linebacker Luke Kuechly. Carolina led the NFL in scoring (31.2 PPG), interceptions and total takeaways.
Grading the Roster
QBs- Cam Newton (8.8), Derek Anderson (7.2)
RBs- Jonathan Stewart (7.7), Cameron Artis-Payne (7.2), Fozzy Whittaker (7.2)
WRs- Kelvin Benjamin (7.6), Devin Funchess (7.2), Ted Ginn (7.3), Philly Brown (7.2)
TEs- Greg Olsen (8.1), Ed Dickson (7.2)
Ts- Michael Oher (7.4), Mike Remmers (7.3), Daryl Williams (7.1)
Gs- Andrew Norwell (7.5), Trai Turner (7.5), Chris Scott (7.2)
Cs- Ryan Kalil (7.9), Gino Gradkowski (7.2)
DEs- Charles Johnson (7.5), Kony Ealy (7.3), Mario Addison (7.3), Wes Horton (7.2)
DTs- Kawann Short (8.3), Star Lotulelei (7.3), Vernon Butler (7.3), Paul Soliai (7.3)
OLBs- Thomas Davis (7.8), Shaw Thompson (7.4), A.J. Klein (7.3), Ben Jacobs (7.1)
ILBs- Luke Kuechly (9), David Mayo (7.1)
CBs- Bene Benwikere (7.3), Robert McClain (7.2), James Bradberry (7.2), Daryl Worley (7.1)
Ss- Kurt Coleman (7.4), Tre Boston (7.3), Colin Jones (7.1)
K- Graham Gano (7.3)
P- Mike Scifres (7.3)
KR- Fozzy Whittaker (7.3)
PR- Ted Ginn (7.4)
Team Rankings
Team- 7.465 (3/32)
Offense- 7.547 (5/32)
Defense- 7.42 (12/32)
Quarterbacks-8 (3/32)
Running Backs- 7.37 (12/32)
Receivers- 7.43 (9/32)
Offensive Line- 7.39 (12/32)
Defensive Line- 7.44 (6/16)
Linebackers- 7.6 (1/16)
Secondary- 7.23 (32/32)
Special Teams- 7.35
Coaches- 7.4
PREDICTION- 11-5 (1st NFC South)
QUARTERBACKS
Newton’s decision making was on point last year, knowing when to escape the pocket and throw the ball downfield or take off on his own. His arm strength is elite. He can throw the ball into any window and it’s almost impossible for him to underthrow a receiver. If Newton does lack in an area, it’s with his accuracy, completing 59.8 percent of his passes. When he’s off, he misses high, but there were also times where Newton was dialed in and was as precise as any signal caller in the game.
Derek Anderson is the backup and has filled in nicely when Newton has been injured in the past.
RUNNING BACKS
The injury-prone Jonathan Stewart was fairly healthy a year ago, despite still missing the final three games of the season. His 242 carries were a career high and his 989 yards were eighth in the NFL.
Stewart is an inside the tackles bruiser who is quicker and more elusive than he appears. He’s got good feet, is pretty quick for a 235 pounder and is able to maintain his balance and accelerate through holes. He’s not used much as a receiver, but is a solid pass protector.
Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne are behind Stewart on the depth chart.
RECEIVERS
Kelvin Benjamin had an outstanding rookie year, but missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Carolina, however, made it work without him anyway.
Greg Olsen has been Carolina’s top receiving threat since coming over from Chicago in a trade in 2011. He was second among tight ends in receiving yards last season with 1,104 and really stepped up his game with the absence of Benjamin.
Olsen runs crisp routes, has soft hands and is tough over the middle. He’s a tough cover for a linebacker because he’s agile and his footwork is so good, but he’s also too physical for a slot cornerback. Blocking isn’t Olsen’s strength, but he’s worked at it diligently since coming into the league and has improved and become respectable in that area. Finishing blocks is when he tends to get too finesse, but he’s capable of cracking down on ends and linebackers from the slot position.
Ted Ginn Jr. also picked up a lot of the slack, totaling 10 touchdowns and the second-rounder Devin Funchess showed some promise as well. Speedster Philly Brown contributed too.
Benjamin is at his best in the red zone and is a physical mismatch against defensive backs. He’s got great body control and is fantastic in jump-ball situations.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Center Ryan Kalil took a lot of strides forward as a pass protector in 2015. He allowed the third most hurries of the starting centers in 2014. Kalil remains as one of the best run blocking centers in the game. He’s agile enough to seal the edge, but also has the strength to overpower linebackers and safeties on the second level.
Left tackle Michael Oher has resurrected his career in Carolina after a horrible season in Tennessee with the Titans. Mike Remmers, who struggled in the Super Bowl, is the right tackle.
Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner are a pair of solid starters at guard
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Kawann Short broke out in 2014, but took it a step further in 2015, putting up a ridiculous 11 sacks.
He has a lot of strength and uses it to his advantage when bull rushing. He converts speed into power to drive guards and centers backwards. Playing in front of Luke Kuechly, Short paved the way for him by absorbing blocks. In the run game, he can line up in a gap or head on and make plays. Once again his power really comes in handy. If he does have a weakness, he has to do a better job of diagnosing play action. Star Lotulelei is the starter beside him, while Paul Soliai and first-rounder Vernon Butler are solid backups.
Charles Johnson isn’t what he was last year, struggling with a hamstring injury and you could see it with his inability to explode off the snap like he has. Kony Ealy has upside as the starter at the other defensive end spot, while Mario Addison and Wes Horton provide depth.
LINEBACKERS
Luke Kuechly is the best inside linebacker against both the run and pass. There’s nobody better at speeding and knifing through traffic to bring down running backs. Nobody can match his instincts and awareness. He’s so damn smart.
In pass coverage, Kuechly’s footwork is incredible. He can turn and run with not only tight ends, but slot receivers as well. And he’s very fluid in his zone drop backs. As a pass rusher Kuechly has the speed and timing to shoot the A gap well, but he’s asked to be in coverage more often than attack the quarterback.
At 6’1, 235, Thomas Davis is a three-down linebacker and coverage is his greatest strength. He has fantastic quickness in space, agility and balance. He has the closing speed to break on the ball when dropping back into zone. He can also match up very very well against linebackers.
Because Davis is a bit on the smaller side, he does strugglele when it comes to disengaging from a blocker on the move. As a pass rusher, like some other guys on this list, he’s not asked to do it often, but when he does he can be a force. Shaq Thompson enters his sophomore campaign as the starter at outside linebacker. A.J. Klein can play either of the three spots at linebacker.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The Panthers don’t have a lot of depth after rescinding the franchise tag from Norman.
Former nickel corner Bene Benwikere moves over as the No. 1 corner now. Second-round rookie James Bradberry has length and impressed at the Senior Bowl. He will start opposite of Benwikere. Carolina also drafted Daryl Worley in the third round.
Tre Boston is a solid safety and Kurt Coleman was a pleasant surprise a year ago.
TEAM PREVIEWS
AFC East: Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cleveland Browns
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts | Houston Texans | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs | San Diego Chargers | Oakland Raiders
NFC West: Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks | Arizona Cardinals
NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Atlanta Falcons | New Orleans Saints
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NFL PLAYER RANKINGS