CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Five takeaways from Tuesday’s pre-NFL draft press conference with Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney and coach Ron Rivera:
All options open: There was nothing to indicate what direction the Panthers are leaning with the No. 24 overall pick. Hurney and Rivera insisted what they’ve done in free agency has put Carolina in position to take the best player available rather than reach for need. They both insisted they like the depth at all positions, although you have to take that somewhat with a grain of salt. There is no proven backup to tight end Greg Olsen, and the safety position has to be addressed with strong safety Mike Adams, 37, in the last year of his deal and Da'Norris Searcy coming off a season in which he lost the starting job at Tennessee.