Carolina's Backfield

[MadScott]

I think the Panthers will either end up nabbing Maroney with their first pick, or waiting on an Addai or Calhoun in the 2nd. They don't want to spend the dollars on RB and they need to add more durability.

Wow, you really think that they will go RB in the draft eh? It seems like it would be surprising although not unfounded for them to do that though.

[Mercer Boy]

Given the RB durability problems they have had, I suppose taking a RB in a later round wouldn't be a terrible investment. If nothing else they could look for someone who could turn into a good special teams guy if he's not needed for RB duty.

[skibrett15]

Just so everyone knows... foster is a free agent. If they don't re-sign foster, then shelton/goings have a shot, but my guess is that they would find someone else in free agency. Chester taylor seems like a guy in a similar mold who hasn't had injury problems. That comes down to Baltimore though and who they want to keep.

Depth Chart:
1. Foster/FA (one or the other I would guess)
2. Potential early round rookie
3. Nick Goings/Eric Shelton/late round rookie
4/5. whoever is left from position battles.

[Kensat30]

The Panther's running game has been as unpredictable as the Bronco's in the past couple of seasons. But they don't have quite the same track record for producing fantasy RBs. If you wanna guess on who is gonna be the starter/fantasy RB to have on Carolina, I wouldn't waste a very high pick on it. Seems like they don't want to use Goings as anything more than a emergency/2nd string RB of necessity, but the way things happen over there I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him starting again in 2006.

[moochman]

Were I the Panthers I would dump my current crop of starters and buy a FA. Davis is probably done and Foster just can't stay healthy. There are many RBs out there that would love to come to Carolina.

[MadScott]

Were I the Panthers I would dump my current crop of starters and buy a FA. Davis is probably done and Foster just can't stay healthy. There are many RBs out there that would love to come to Carolina.

Good pull. You stack even an Edge or Ahman Green on their team, they take another jump up.

[louisianacajunsam]

add a good free agent running back, draft wide receiver and tight end with the first two picks in the draft, and you've got yourself a much more dynamic team in carolina....

i wouldnt mind seeing either pope, v.davis, or m.lewis picked at te to go along with hagans, or someone at wr via the draft

[maddog60]

add a good free agent running back, draft wide receiver and tight end with the first two picks in the draft, and you've got yourself a much more dynamic team in carolina....

i wouldnt mind seeing either pope, v.davis, or m.lewis picked at te to go along with hagans, or someone at wr via the draft

I agree with everything except drafting a WR. I think between Colbert and Carter they should give both those youngsters a chance to step it up (both are entering their 3rd year I believe). Even a 2nd tier TE like Fasano, Byrd, or Klopfenstein would be a great 2nd or 3rd round addition for them.

[onnestabe]

add a good free agent running back, draft wide receiver and tight end with the first two picks in the draft, and you've got yourself a much more dynamic team in carolina....

i wouldnt mind seeing either pope, v.davis, or m.lewis picked at te to go along with hagans, or someone at wr via the draft

I agree with everything except drafting a WR. I think between Colbert and Carter they should give both those youngsters a chance to step it up (both are entering their 3rd year I believe). Even a 2nd tier TE like Fasano, Byrd, or Klopfenstein would be a great 2nd or 3rd round addition for them.

I think the reason they shouldn't draft a WR this year has less to do with the ability of Colbert or Carter and more to do with the quality of WRs in the draft. If they are to take a TE, they should do it in the first round because the draft is top heavy at that position, and chances are good that one will fall to Carolina in the first. That leaves a second round pick at best for a WR, and it is very hard to imagine a 2nd-round rookie WR challenging for much playing time (especially if Ricky Proehl comes back). I would think they would try to add depth at another position (RB, OL, Defense) in the second round before they drafted a WR.

If they have the cap room, I would think adding a free agent WR to compete for the #2 job would be prudent, in addition to adding a free agent running back.