The Panthers may use another first-round pick on defense. Here’s why they’re open to it
The Carolina Panthers have drafted a defensive player in the first round in each of the last three drafts. All seven of their draft picks in 2020 were on defense.
With major holes at quarterback and left tackle, surely, they’ll draft an offensive player in the first round this year, right?
About that ...
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer told the team’s website last week that drafting a defensive end was a possibility.
“And we could always go pass-rusher because Brian Burns is coming up,” Fitterer said, referring to Burns’ contract, which expires after the 2023 season. “I mean, we’ll do the (fifth-year) option, but if that money gets out of hand, it’s better to have somebody ready to go in the hopper.”
Those comments are a bit of a surprise, considering Burns’ value and upside in Carolina. He’s 23, made his first Pro Bowl this past year, and is growing into one of its leaders after only his third season.
Then again, it may have been a smokescreen as teams try to disguise which players they are most interested in taking.
But the fact that the Panthers would have a backup plan does make sense, especially after Haason Reddick left in free agency to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The top five highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL average $28 million, $27 million, $25 million, $23 million and $23 million per year. When Burns does get his new contract, depending on how he performs the next two seasons and where the market goes, he’ll likely average somewhere in that ballpark.
That’s a lot of money to invest in a player who hasn’t reached double-digit sacks yet, and it’s something Carolina will have to consider. Even if they do end up reaching a long-term deal with Burns and draft a defensive end, pairing those ends together for years to come isn’t a bad option.
While this scenario remains less likely, it’s still worth looking at the possibilities.
So who are some realistic options at No. 6 for the Panthers?
The top four defensive ends in this draft are Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon), Jermaine Johnson (Florida State) and Travon Walker (Georgia). Hutchinson could go No. 1 overall and won’t drop beyond No. 3, making him out of reach for the Panthers.
Kayvon Thibodeaux
Draft experts laud Thibodeaux for his speed, power and ability to move offensive tackles from their spots.
“Go watch the Fresno State game in the first game of the season where he’s just destroying people,” CBS Sports draft analyst Ryan Wilson said. “He is quick off the snap, he is strong for his size. His get-off is next level. Is he Chase Young good? No. But he’s in the conversation for top five picks.”
At 6-foot-5, 258 pounds, Thibodeaux has a similar frame to Burns.
He racked up 19 sacks in three seasons at Oregon. In 2021, during his junior year, he had seven sacks, two forced fumbles and 49 tackles and was a unanimous All-American.
Thibodeaux believes he’s the best player in this draft, too. He told reporters at Oregon’s pro day, that “the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard is that I’m not the best player in this draft.”
But the reality is he’s dropped recently on draft boards.
Wilson said there are concerns from some NFL teams with how he’ll take coaching.
“Physically, he’s a specimen,” Wilson said. “If you’re the Panthers or another team, you’ve got to figure out if he fits your locker room and fits your culture.”
Travon Walker
Walker has recently emerged as one of the top defensive end prospects to watch. Part of that is because at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, he ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash.
Walker had 37 tackles and six sacks during his junior season at Georgia, which included a sack in the team’s national championship win against Alabama.
Walker can play multiple spots on the defensive line, and his versatility makes him intriguing.
ESPN’s Todd McShay had him going No. 2 overall in his latest mock draft to the Detroit Lions behind Hutchinson.
Wilson also has him as his second-best defensive end. His numbers aren’t eye-popping, but that might not be a bad thing.
“He’s raw, but the athleticism and the strength and the speed and the power and all those things,” Wilson said. “You see flashes of those things and then you couple that with the fact that he’s a really good person, based on conversations I’ve had with him and based on what I’ve heard, you sort of like that. You like that upside.
“You’d like the idea that he’s only 65-, 70% of what he’s going to be and he was doing that at Georgia.”
Jermaine Johnson II
Johnson originally played at Georgia with Walker before transferring to Florida State in 2021 seeking more playing time.
It worked out in his favor. In his lone season at Florida State, he won ACC defensive player of the year honors after recording 70 tackles, 12 sacks and two forced fumbles.
It was a breakout year for Johnson, who turned 23 in January.
Johnson is 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds with good size.
Wilson said Johnson doesn’t have the same explosion as Thibodeaux and Walker, but he’s still strong. He put on a good performance at the Senior Bowl, which has elevated his draft stock.
“He uses his hands well, and he wins pretty consistently,” Wilson said. “He’s really good against the run, he can set the edge of the run and he gets after the quarterback.”
Wilson ranks Hutchinson, Walker, Thibodeaux and Johnson as his top defensive ends in that order.
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 1:45 PM.
