This week, we're going to take a look inside the heads — or at least inside the rosters and offseasons — of the five teams currently picking ahead of the Panthers in the 2022 NFL Draft. What they've done and will do will impact what the Panthers are able to do at No. 6, so it's better to know the landscape ahead of time. Monday we started with the Jaguars at No. 1, discussed the Lions at No. 2 on Tuesday, and the Texans at No. 3 on Wednesday.
CHARLOTTE — This is where things get interesting.
In the first three slots in the 2022 NFL Draft, there are teams with reasonably defined needs, which largely match up with the players considered near the top of most draft boards.
Then there are the Jets.
Having selected their latest quarterback of the future last year (No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson), the Jets now need to offer him targets, and insulate him from pressure, and give him a chance to succeed.
They're positioned to do just that, with a pair of top-10 picks, with their own fourth and the 10th overall choice from Seattle (to complete the Jamal Adams trade).
With that kind of currency, they can make a big difference in a hurry, if they're smart. They're also well-positioned to answer the phone if anyone's interested in moving up, because the Giants in the fifth spot have also made it known they're open for business.
Like a lot of teams, the Jets need a pass-rusher, and the top of this year's draft is solid with guys such as Aidan Hutchinson, Travon Walker, and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Jets need to find a top receiver for Wilson, and would ostensibly have their pick of the class if they wanted to go there at four for a player such as Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave. (Also, they could package some picks and try to trade for Deebo Samuel, which seems logical since they were willing to trade for and pay Tyreek Hill earlier this offseason.)
But they could also use a cornerback, especially one the caliber of a Sauce Gardner.
That's a long way of saying, they have options, and the opportunity to send the draft in a different direction.
Offseason moves: The Jets made several moves to make Wilson more comfortable, beginning with spending big for guard Laken Tomlinson. The former 49ers standout brings some needed toughness to their line.
They also brought in a pair of free agent tight ends (C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin), some other useful offensive parts (wideout Braxton Berrios and running back Tevin Coleman), and elder backup quarterback Joe Flacco to support Wilson. That's a good start, but there's more work to be done.
Possible clues: Jets GM Joe Douglas has used first-round picks each of the last two years on offensive linemen (tackle Mekhi Becton and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker), and they're solidly stocked there. Well-stocked enough to ignore a talent such as Ickey Ekwonu or Evan Neal? That's a tough call, especially since they know their neighbors with the next pick are in the market for line help.
Do they need a quarterback? Not this year.
How they impact the Panthers: The Jets could really complicate things if they take one of the top offensive tackles, especially since the Giants are expected to select one in the fifth spot.
But with enough other needs, and five of the top 69 picks, they're in nice shape to add depth there later.
The Jets at No. 4 feels like a spot that might not impact the Panthers' plans nearly as much as the next one (and tune in tomorrow for more on that).
Look back on some of the productive draft picks the Panthers made in the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft all the way back to 1995.
Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. was picked in the second round (59th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of LSU. Marshall played in 13 games in his rookie season, tallying 17 receptions for 138 yards.
Brady Christensen was selected in the third round (70th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of BYU. He played in 16 games with six starts along the line in his rookie season in 2021.
Tommy Tremble was picked in the third round (83rd overall) out of Notre Dame in the 2021 NFL Draft. He played in 16 games with 11 starts, making 20 receptions for 180 yards and scoring two total touchdowns.
Jeremy Chinn was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He led the Panthers with 106 tackles in 2021, joining Jon Beason and Luke Kuechly as the only players with at least 100 tackles in each of their first two seasons in Carolina.
The Panthers used the 55th overall pick to select cornerback Donte Jackson in the second round of the 2018 draft. Since then, he's ranked second among his draft class with 12 interceptions in four seasons.
In 2017, Carolina drafted wide receiver Curtis Samuel in the second round with the 40th overall pick. From 2017-20, Samuel tallied 2,087 receiving yards, 478 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns.
The Panthers drafted offensive lineman Taylor Moton 64th overall in the second round of the 2017 draft. Moton is one of five NFL players to play 100 percent of the offensive snaps in each of the last four seasons (2018-21).
Cornerback James Bradberry was drafted in the second round of the 2016 Draft. He made eight interceptions for the Panthers between 2016-19.
Carolina drafted wide receiver Devin Funchess in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. From 2015-18, Funchess tallied 2,233 receiving yards which ranks eighth in franchise history.
Defensive end Kony Ealy was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. In Super Bowl 50, Ealy tallied three sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
Offensive lineman Trai Turner was selected with 92nd overall pick in the third round of the 2014 draft. Over the next six seasons, Turner made five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances from 2015-2019.
In 2013, the Panthers selected defensive tackle Kawann Short with the 44th overall pick in the second round. His 32.5 career sacks are the most by any Panthers defensive tackle in franchise history.
Carolina drafted safety Charles Godfrey with pick No. 67 in the third round of the 2008 draft. During his seven seasons in Carolina, Godfrey recorded a team-high 11 interceptions, including a career-high five picks in 2010.
The Panthers drafted center Ryan Kalil No. 59 overall in the second round of the 2007 draft. Kalil spent 12 seasons in Carolina earning five Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro nods.
In the third round of the 2007 draft, the Panthers selected defensive Charles Johnson with the 83rd overall pick. After 11 seasons in Carolina, Johnson finished second in franchise history with 67.5 career sacks, including team highs in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.
In 2006, the Panthers used the No. 58 overall pick to draft defensive back Richard Marshall in the second round. Marshall spent five years in Carolina, where he finished with a team-high 14 interceptions from 2006-2010.
The Panthers selected linebacker James Anderson with the 88th overall pick in the third round of the 2006 draft. Anderson proved to be a valuable addition to the linebacker corps, twice leading the team in tackles, including a career-high 145 stops in 2011.
The Panthers selected offensive lineman Travelle Wharton in the third round of the 2004 draft with the 94th overall pick. Wharton started 111 of the 115 games he played in over his nine seasons in Carolina, filling in at both guard and tackle.
The Panthers drafted Ricky Manning, Jr. No. 82 overall in the third round of the 2003 draft. Manning may not have been with the Panthers for long – just three seasons – but he'll always be remembered for his three-interception game in the NFC Championship in 2003.
In 2002, the Panthers used the 34th overall pick to draft running back DeShaun Foster in the second round. Foster led the Panthers in rushing yards each year from 2005-2007, and scored two of Carolina's most memorable post-season touchdowns in the 2003 NFC Championship and Super Bowl 38.
The Panthers selected linebacker Will Witherspoon with the No. 73 overall pick in the third round of the 2002 draft. Witherspoon was part of a dominant group of linebackers during his four years Carolina, finishing with a team-high 342 tackles in that stretch.
The Panthers drafted defensive tackle Kris Jenkins in the second round with the No. 44 overall pick in 2001. Jenkins earned three Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods in Carolina, where he helped the Panthers establish one of the most fearsome defensive fronts in the NFL.
With the 74th overall pick in the third round of the 2001 draft, the Panthers selected wide receiver Steve Smith, and the rest is history. Smith finished his 16-year career with 14,731 receiving yards to rank eighth all-time in the NFL. During his 13 years in Carolina, Smith made five Pro Bowl appearances and earned All-Pro honors twice. He was selected to the Panthers Hall of Honor in 2019.
The Panthers drafted safety Deon Grant in the second round of the 2000 draft with the 57th overall pick. Grant only spent three years in Carolina, but during that stretch he started all 52 games the Panthers played, and led the team with 11 interceptions over that period.
In the 1999 draft, the Panthers used the No. 38 overall pick to select defensive end Mike Rucker in the second round. Rucker spent nine years in Carolina, where he finished his career third on the Panthers all-time sack list with 55.5 sacks.
In 1997, the Panthers drafted safety Mike Minter in the second round with the 56th overall pick. Minter spent 10 seasons leading Carolina from the secondary, where he totaled 594 tackles in that stretch and ranks fourth all-time in franchise history in interceptions.
The Panthers selected wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad with the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 1996 draft. Muhammad spent 11 years in Carolina over two separate stints, and still ranks second in franchise history in receiving yards (9,255) and touchdowns (50).
