Carolina Panthers: Top free agency, NFL draft needs for 2017

Carolina Panthers breakdown: Free agency, draft shopping list

As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Carolina Panthers must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their 6-10 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Panthers' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

Getting quarterback Cam Newton right has to be the biggest task for the Panthers in the offseason. Of course, solidifying the line in front of him could be a big part of that. Tackle surely needs an infusion of talent as does running back thanks to Jonathan Stewart's advancing age.

The Panthers aren't alone in being a team that needs pass-rush help.

THE BREAKDOWN

2016 finish: 4th in NFC South (6-10)

STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 343.7 (19th)

RUSHING: 113.4 (10th)

PASSING: 230.3 (T21st)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 359.8 (21st)

RUSHING: 91.6 (6th)

PASSING: 268.2 (29th)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

&=Released

*=Vet who may be released or option not exercised

TOP THREE NEEDS

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

The Panthers can't just depend on Michael Oher returning to man the left side, so they need to add a tackle. Or two.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati (36 in December, $9M)

*Russell Okung, Denver (29 in October, $10.6M)

Rick Wagner, Baltimore (28 in October, $576K)

Luke Joeckel, Jacksonville (G; 26 in November, $5.3M))

Matt Kalil, Minnesota (injury; 28 in July, $4.94M)

Riley Reiff, Detroit (29 in December, $2M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/14 Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-5, 314, 5.29, 1 (underclassman)

2/25 Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 310, 5.28, 1 (underclassman)

3/38 Garett Bolles, Utah, 6-5, 296, 4.97, 1-2 (underclassman)

4/53 Taylor Moton, Western Michigan, 6-5, 330, 5.31, 2

5/59 Roderick Johnson, Florida State, 6-6, 308, 5.34, 2 (underclassman)

6/77 Antonio Garcia, Troy, 6-6, 293, 5.04, 2-3

RUNNING BACK

A run-first team needs more than just soon-to-be 30-year-old Jonathan Stewart. The backfield could really use a dynamic playmaker.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh (25, $1.03M)

*Adrian Peterson, Minnesota (32 in March, $14M)

LeGarrette Blount, New England (31 in December, $1M)

Latavius Murray, Oakland (27, $567K)

Eddie Lacy, Green Bay (27 June, $848K)

Darren McFadden, Dallas (30 in August, $1.5M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/5 Dalvin Cook, Florida State, 5-11, 206, 4.43, 1 (underclassman)

2/9 Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, 4.45, 1 (underclassman)

3/24 Christian McCaffrey, Stanford, 6-0, 202, 4.48, 1 (underclassman)

4/60 Alvin Kamara, Tennessee, 5-10, 215, 4.62, 2 (underclassman)

5/86 Joe Mixon, Oklahoma, 6-1, 226, 4.50, 3 (underclassman)

DEFENSIVE END

Kony Ealy may never be the guy the world saw in the Super Bowl, so a defense that depends so much on edge rushers needs another.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Jason Pierre-Paul, N.Y. Giants (28, $10M)

Calais Campbell, Arizona (DT; 31 in September, $11M)

Jabaal Sheard, New England (28 in May, $5.5M)

&Mario Williams, Miami (32, $8.5M)

Charles Johnson, Carolina (31 in July, $3M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., Proj. Rd.)

1/1 Myles Garrett, Texas AM, 6-4, 268, 1 (underclassman)

2/3 Solomon Thomas, Stanford, 6-2, 275, 1 (underclassman)

3/17 Derek Barnett, Tennessee, 6-3, 265, 1 (underclassman)

4/28 Taco Charlton, Michigan, 6-5, 272, 1

5/32 Charles Harris, Missouri, 6-3, 255, 4.74, 1-2 (underclassman)

UFA KEEPERS

DT Kawann Short (28, $1.16M)

WR Ted Ginn Jr. (32 in April, $2.1M)

DE Charles Johnson (31 in July, $3M)

DE Mario Addison (30 in September, $1.28M)

ROSTER REVIEW

--DB coach Steve Wilks replaces Sean McDermott as DC.

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Cam Newton. Backups -- Derek Anderson, Joe Webb.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Jonathan Stewart. Backups -- Cameron Artis-Payne, Fozzy Whittaker (UFA), &FB Mike Tolbert, *FB Devon Johnson.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Greg Olsen. Backups -- Ed Dickson, Chris Manhertz.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Kelvin Benjamin, Ted Ginn Jr. (UFA). Backups -- *Devin Funchess, Brenton Bersin, Philly Brown, Damiere Byrd, *LaRon Byrd.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- *LT Michael Oher, LG Andrew Norwell, *C Ryan Kalil, *C Gino Gradkowski, RG Trai Turner, RT Mike Remmers (UFA). Backups -- C Ryan Wendell (UFA), G Chris Scott (UFA), G David Yankey, T Dan France, T Daryl Williams, *T Jordan Rigsbee.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DLE Charles Johnson (UFA), LDT Star Lotulelei, RDT Kawann Short (UFA), DRE Wes Horton (UFA). Backups -- DE Mario Addison (UFA), *DE Ryan Delaire, DE Kony Ealy, DE Larry Webster, *DT Chaz Alecxih, DT Vernon Butler, DT Kyle Love (UFA), DT Paul Soliai.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- WLB Thomas Davis, MLB Luke Kuechly, SLB Shaq Thompson. Backups -- Jeremy Cash, Ben Jacobs, A.J. Klein (UFA), David Mayo, Jared Norris.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB James Bradberry, RCB Daryl Worley, SS Kurt Coleman, *FS Tre Boston. Backups -- CB Leonard Johnson (UFA), CB Lou Young, *CB Zack Sanchez, *CB Teddy Williams (UFA), S Travell Dixon, S Michael Griffin (UFA), S Colin Jones (UFA), *S Dean Marlowe.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Graham Gano, *P Andy Lee, P Michael Palardy, KOR Fozzy Whittaker, PR Ted Ginn Jr., LS J.J. Jansen.