Thursday, February 21, 2013
Carolina's search for DT help
By Tim Kavanagh
The prevailing consensus is that the Carolina Panthers have absolutely nailed their past two first-round picks -- QB Cam Newton and LB Luke Kuechly -- which is a lot more than many teams can say. In Newton, they have one of the league's most impressive young talents at the most important position, and in Kuechly, they have a player that can be the heart of a dominant defense. But in Kuechly's case, some major reinforcements are needed around him.
The area that is perhaps most in need of addressing is at DT. The pair that served as primary starters last season were the Edwards', Dwan Edwards and Ron Edwards. Both fall into the "journeyman" category, and Dwan is on his way to free agency again. So, to whom should the Panthers turn? They'll have to prune the roster of some cap-unfriendly contracts first, but there are some options out there in free agency, as well as a strong draft class. Here's Vince Verhei of Football Outsiders:
