The Carolina Panthers had a disappointing season to say the least. The team made a splash prior to the 2023 draft, trading their first round picks in 23 and 24, along with star receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears for the number one overall pick. It was known pretty early where the Panthers were going with this pick.
On Draft day, Bryce Young, the quarterback from Alabama would be the first name called. Fans were excited to have a franchise quarterback again. The team then drafted Jonathan Mingo in the second round. Panthers were set to have a high power offense with these two.
Things didn’t exactly go as planned. The Panthers held the worst record throughout all of the season and couldn’t even benefit from it. The bright spot from the offense was the Veteran, Adam Thielen. The former Vikings receiver was the top performing receiver for the 2023 Panthers.
Panthers’ Potential Roster Additions
The biggest weakness was the offense. Bryce Young needs a better team around him to be able to progress. The first thing that Carolina should address is their offensive line. A possible option here would be Graham Glasgow from the Lions. He is a veteran but would immediately improve the line and would be able to protect the franchise player in Young.
While the Panthers lost their number one pick, they do have an early second. With this pick, they could target the offensive line as well or they could go for another playmaker. One potential player at the 33rd pick is Oregon’s Troy Franklin.
Franklin offers not only size at 6’3 but also speed and could instantly add some firepower to this offense. Thielen will likely move on to a contender as it was clearly seen that he has gas left in his tank, so this move makes even more sense.
Panthers Should Be Set to Improve in 2024
A rookie receiver like Troy Franklin would be receiving a ton of targets in this system and could be a dark horse early candidate for rookie of the year. In the 2024 season, Carolina will not finish in the bottom of their division. This may be bold considering the performance this past season but the Panthers should be set to surprise many fans.
