After a promising start to the Carolina Panthers season, the team dropped seven of their final eight games and missed the playoffs entirely. The onus fell squarely on the surgically repaired shoulder of quarterback Cam Newton but there are plenty of other areas in which the team needs to improve.
General manager Marty Hurney signaled a commitment to an influx of youth onto a roster heavy with veterans by not re-signing linebacker Thomas Davis, but finding young talent capable of contributing immediately is rare. The Panthers have also historically been a franchise that prefers to slowly introduce rookies into their permanent lineup.