CHARLOTTE — When Rasheed Walker walked into Bank of America Stadium Saturday morning, he did more than put his signature on a one-year contract.

He put the Panthers in a more secure and stable position, one from which they can continue to build.

While we're exactly four days into the new league year, the Panthers have everything they need — minus a punter — to line up and play a game tomorrow if they needed to. (Sources: They do not need to.)

So Walker's addition was significant for the Panthers for a number of reasons.

One, he gives them insurance against the condition of incumbent left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who is coming back from a torn patellar tendon in the wild card game against the Rams, and whose prognosis for the coming season remains unclear. (Though he was walking around without crutches or a brace, well enough to greet new teammate Jaelan Phillips the other day.)

But he also gives them a whole lineup.

The Panthers now have a projected starting offensive line that includes at least 385 NFL starts — the kind of security that quarterback Bryce Young will appreciate. So even if you take Ekwonu (64 starts in four seasons) out of the mix at left tackle, and he could still return this year, there's a lot of experience. That includes Walker at left tackle (48 starts the last three seasons with the Packers, Damien Lewis at left guard (93), center Luke Fortner (44), right guard Robert Hunt (72), and right tackle Taylor Moton (128).

That said, it's a different line than it was. Walker isn't the run-blocker Ekwonu is (not too many are), but he's a capable pass protector. His PFF pass blocking grade of 70.0 was 41st of 89 graded tackles, overshadowing the fact his run grade was lower (55.4, 71st of 89 tackles). Ekwonu had a 65.0 pass blocking grade, 54th among tackles, but a 70.4 in the run game, 31st.

But for a team that had two major question marks on offense — left tackle and center — entering the week, the place they were Saturday morning is much better than where they were six days earlier.

And when you consider the improvements they made on defense this week, the Panthers are in a stable place. The floor has been raised over the last two offseasons, and now they've started pushing the ceiling up.

Adding 26-year-old pass-rusher Phillips and 27-year-old linebacker Devin Lloyd — the top young players at their positions in free agency this year — gives the Panthers playmakers on every level of the defense. And there was no reason to believe they could acquire them both in a week, so sitting in this position is a gift.

They now have Derrick Brown rushing from the inside, and Phillips on the outside, allowing Nic Scourton time to grow after a promising rookie season. They have a coverage linebacker in Lloyd to allow safety Tre'von Moehrig to come forward and create mismatches. And the combined effect of all of them pressuring quarterbacks will make cornerback Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson's lives easier.

This is the most talent — and young talent — that the Panthers have put on the field in years. Other than 40-year-old long snapper JJ Jansen and 38-year-old quarterback Andy Dalton, there's not a player on the roster older than 31. And 31-year-old right tackle Moton is the only projected starter whose age starts with any number other than a 2, putting the Panthers in the sweet spot in terms of age and experience.

And perhaps most importantly, they have a mostly-complete depth chart entering the draft, which gives them options.

Hypothetical/unofficial projected lineups

Free agency isn't about eliminating draft needs; it's about opening the door to any possibility. And when you go into the draft with the ability to take the best player on the board, it's best for the long-term health of the franchise.

(And no matter how acute the need in March, it's reasonable to assume general manager Dan Morgan won't use the 19th pick on a punter.)

Morgan's own position is the best illustration of that. He was still on the roster when they drafted Jon Beason, and Beason was still on the roster when they drafted Luke Kuechly.

So now he can go into the first round and take the best player, not being locked into finding a starting (fill in the blank).

Walker's just one move, among a busy three free agencies in a row for the Panthers.

But getting him done this week sets the stage to keep building the team for the future, one draft pick at a time.