Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers: Offensive Line Should Be Primary Draft Focus

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:00 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Raphael Garcia/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

The Carolina Panthers need to address some of their concerns on the offensive line through the draft.

Two months remain until the 2017 NFL Draft and anticipation continues to rise with every mock draft completed. Each week, experts change their picks and cite unknown sources trying to present the latest predictions as to which college players will land where. As the Carolina Panthers prep for the weekend of selections, it's clear that the team needs to find a way to retool their offense.

Leading up to the draft, it will be interesting to see if the team focuses on the ailing offensive line. 2016 was a year in which the Panthers were forced to hold the offensive line together with tape and glue. Many of the starters found themselves dealing with injury throughout the year. A lack of depth caused the team to shift players around and create a variety of lineups, eliminating any chance of consistency on the offensive line.

Michael Oher, Ryan Kalil and Gino Gradkowski all ended the year on the injured reserve. They suffered different injuries but their inability to finish the season healthy has caused some concern about how the Panthers will prepare to address this issue. There are some options available through free agency, such as Ryan's younger brother, Matt. The draft is also another place in which the Panthers should look to build some backup options for the offensive line.

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Carolina is drafting first at No. 8 in the first round, which creates an opportunity to pick up an important player. Many draft experts are predicting the Panthers to take a running back in this spot, but the long-term solution should be to look to add a player to the offensive line.

Cam Robinson, an offensive tackle from Alabama, is the name that has come up as a potential pick. However, those mentions come with the "buyer beware" option that he could be drafted too high as he has a number of issues in his play. Ryan Ramczyk, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney are three other names that have come up as potential offensive line players to go in the first round.

More often than not, teams look to pick up a play maker who is expected to have an immediate impact on the field. For Carolina, the team has a strong offensive roster. The issue in 2017 is that opposing defenses were able to apply consistent pressure in a way that limited anything that Newton and the crew could complete. The first round of the draft will have a number of players that fit that mold, but Carolina should make a more conservative type pick and select an offensive lineman.

General manager Dave Gettleman used the 2016 draft to select multiple players to fill voids on defense. There's opportunity for the Panthers to show the same narrow scope in 2017, but focus on the offensive line this time around. Doing so would not only improve their chances at protecting Newton, but impact the running game in helping it return to the prominence enjoyed in previous years.

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