Do the Panthers have a prayer of replacing LB Thomas Davis? Not with 1 guy ...

Friday's news that veteran Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis will serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy came as a surprise to Davis and to the public.

But after the shock wore off, and Davis' earnest and heartfelt apology digested, it's fair to ask: What's next?

The natural replacement at linebacker will be Shaq Thompson, who has largely backed up Davis and was used situationally in Carolina's "Buffalo" nickel package as a counter to pass-catching tight ends and larger receivers.

Because Davis, 35, has continued to be a starting-caliber linebacker alongside Luke Kuechly, Carolina's staff has seemed to struggle at times to work Thompson into the rotation.

Thompson played 64 percent of defensive snaps in 2017, his highest percentage since he entered the league in 2015. The Panthers used a blitz-happy defensive plan and had a larger dependence on the big nickel under then-coordinator Steve Wilks. That helped Thompson, who also had a career-high 14 starts, see more of the field despite missing two games with plantar fasciitis.

Thompson, 23, will be tested early without Davis this fall.

But he's not the only one, because defensive players all work in complement with one other.

And as sure as it's sticky during a Spartanburg summer, the Panthers have been able to depend on the stability of their linebackers to maintain their prolific defense over the years.

But Kuechly had surgery this spring to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and will likely miss spring workouts. The Panthers will rely on backup David Mayo as the go-to depth at the position. But who else?

The Panthers also do not have an apparent replacement at starting safety after releasing Kurt Coleman, which erases a massive line of communication between the linebackers and defensive backfield and hinders run support.

Carolina will likely continue to start Mike Adams, 37, and signed former Titans safety Da'Norris Searcy in free agency. They will also turn to the draft to stock the position. They'll need a player who can step in nearly seamlessly, to avoid exposing any potential vulnerabilities created by the loss of Davis.

At nickel, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, 30, will compete for his starting spot with second-year players Corn Elder and Cole Luke, both of whom are returning from injuries.

The big nickel will get a re-shuffle, and will probably feature safety Colin Jones, 30, who filled in for Thompson at times last season. Otherwise, there isn't much depth there.

At cornerback, there are more questions. Carolina traded third-year corner Daryl Worley to the Eagles and signed Ross Cockrell to compete for the vacant position. Returning starter James Bradberry must elevate his production in his third season.

The Panthers must also fill a need at defensive end, where veteran Julius Peppers, who also had labrum repair surgery this spring, will need a starter in rotation with him.

The most stable position on Carolina's defense at the moment is the interior line, where Kawann Short and free agent addition Dontari Poe will be a formidable tandem.

Oh, and the Panthers will have a new defensive coordinator for the second consecutive season as Eric Washington steps into the role.

All of these positions depend on each other, but especially in Carolina, they also depend heavily on the veteran linebackers.

Players — and heck, even assistants and coordinators — often say that Kuechly and Davis make their jobs easier.

So replacing Davis isn't just on Thompson.

Instead, it'll be a team effort to step up to fill Davis' rather large cleats come September.

This story was originally published April 9, 2018 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Do the Panthers have a prayer of replacing LB Thomas Davis? Not with 1 guy ...."