The Carolina Panthers lost more experience than any NFL team this offseason by a wide margin. They’ll be returning just 46.9% of their snaps played from last season. This means Matt Rhule may have to rely on his team’s 2020 rookie class more than any other coach.
Let’s take a look at which players are most likely to make an impact in their first year in the league. Here are the 12 most important rookies on the team this year, beginning with four undrafted free agents who have the best chance to make the team.
12. RB Rodney Smith
While having no preseason games to prove himself certainly didn’t help, Smith has a couple of things working in his favor. First, the Panthers need to give Christian McCaffrey fewer touches this year in order to protect their $64 million investment, which means more playing time for every other running back. Second, Mike Davis is a good candidate to be cut in the next two weeks, as that would save the team $3 million in cap space. If Smith can impress at training camp, he should secure the fourth RB spot on the roster behind McCaffrey, Reggie Bonnafon and Jordan Scarlett.
11. LB David Reese
Reese has a more difficult road to make the 53-man roster. However, Jordan Mack’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 season gives Reese better position in a group that still includes three other college free agents. The experience Reese beings as a middle linebacker could be an advantage over guys like Chris Orr, who is more of a pass rusher. If starter Tahir Whitehead struggles at MLB, defensive coordinator Phil Snow will have to adjust quick, so Reese could work his way up the depth chart fast.
10. WR Omar Bayless
Wide receiver is the most loaded position on this team. That won’t make things easy for Bayless, but he’s got a couple significant advantages. First, his size (6-foot-3, 207 pounds) would make him the biggest receiver on the team. Bayless also has proven he can produce, having finished second in the nation in receiving yards last season plus scoring 17 touchdowns. Those numbers will help reduce the impact of missing out on the preseason. If he does well at camp, he could secure the last WR spot on the roster.
9. DB Myles Hartsfield
Like Bayless, Hartsfield has a couple of things that the Panthers need. First, he has the athletic scores they look for in their defensive backs. He recorded a 4.39 second 40-yard dash time, 15 bench press reps and a 38.5-inch vertical jump. Hartsfield also has the extremely valuable ability to line up at either cornerback and safety, which could be a big deal for a defensive unit that needs help at both positions. Hartsfield might have the best chance of any undrafted defender to make the team.
8. DT Bravvion Roy
Next, we move on to some rookies who will definitely make the team and could make a significant impact in the event that older players get injured this year. Baylor’s own Bravvion Roy was the team’s sixth-round pick this year and is the closest thing on the roster to former nose tackle Dontari Poe. If either Kawann Short or Derrick Brown (the projected starters at DT) go down, Roy could wind up playing a lot of snaps because there isn’t much depth to go around at this spot. Roy can secure a spot in the rotation with a strong training camp performance.
7. P Joseph Charlton
One such rookie has already benefited from an injury to an older player. Michael Palardy suffered an ACL tear and will sit out the 2020 season on reserve. Charlton recently signed a three-year deal with the Panthers, so he’s the next man up. Last season, the punting unit was terrible, allowing more yards per return than any team. Palardy wasn’t the main reason, though. That was mostly on the coverage. Charlton needs to match Palardy’s leg power to keep this unit from falling off the earth.
6. CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Usually seventh-round draft picks don’t see a lot of action in their first year in the league. Thomas-Oliver is in a unique spot, though. The Panthers have roughly half of a proven cornerback on their roster right now, so everyone might get opportunities. If projected outside starters Eli Apple and Donte Jackson struggle again, then Thomas-Oliver could conceivably get called up to start along with fourth-rounder Troy Pride. Thomas-Oliver’s length and tenacity should serve him well if that happens.
5. S Kenny Robinson
Losing experienced players like Eric Reid and Colin Jones made Tre Boston the only trustworthy safety on the roster, so the team was wise to double up in the draft. Robinson is a natural free safety, so he should serve as Boston’s primary backup at that spot. At both West Virginia and during his time in the XFL, Robinson showed plenty of range and exceptional ball skills. If either Boston or Juston Burris go down, Robinson could become one of the most crucial Panthers defenders.
4. DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Next, there’s the early draft picks who are guaranteed to get some playing time. How much will depend on how well they do. Gross-Matos might seem like he should be higher on this list. However, the Panthers still have a lot of depth on the edge, even after losing Bruce Irvin and Mario Addison to free agency. If Gross-Matos is good enough to start opposite Brian Burns, he’ll have to prove he’s a better option than guys like Stephen Weatherly, Efe Obada, Christian Miller and Marquis Haynes first.
3. CB Troy Pride Jr.
Pride may be the x-factor of the entire Panthers 2020 draft class. Waiting until the fourth round to pick up a cornerback was a questionable strategy by general manager Marty Hurney. If Pride’s a bust, the whole class takes a huge hit. Then again, if he can hit the ground running and prove the team got a true long-term starter then it will alleviate a lot of pressure on the defense. Pride’s peskiness and speed will help. The question is if they will be enough to overcome his lack of size for an outside corner in the NFL.
2. DB/LB Jeremy Chinn
Choosing the top rookie for this list was difficult. Even if one prospect was picked almost 60 spots ahead of the other, Chinn certainly has a strong case to become the most important defender in this class. His athletic profile is arguably the most exciting dynamic for any rookie on this team. What really makes him special is the ability to play several different positions. Chinn can play anywhere from strong safety to the slot to linebacker. It may take him some time to get adjusted to the NFL’s competition level, but if he can eventually play multiple spots well, Chinn will have a bright future in this league.
1. DT Derrick Brown
Using a top-10 draft pick on a defensive tackle is an undeniably iffy proposition. Sometimes need exceeds all other considerations, though. In this case, Carolina’s atrocious run defense is the most critical aspect for coach Matt Rhule to improve from last year. That’s why they took Brown, who will need to step in right away as a monster run stopper next to Short. If he’s also able to impact the passing game as a rusher, Brown will go a long way towards erasing concerns about passing on Isaiah Simmons. If history is any indication, he’ll do just fine. Every top-10 pick the Panthers have made in the last 20 years has become an All-Pro.
