Barring a trade the Carolina Panthers own overall pick No. 16 in this year’s NFL Draft. After starting last year, winning six of their first eight games, it appeared the team was in line for a return to the playoffs but a second half collapse left Carolina with a handful of concerns this offseason.
A once dominant pass rush became non-existent in 2018 and the health of quarterback Cam Newton remains an issue. Unable to perform at 100-percent due to a nagging shoulder injury, Newton was shut down for the final two games of the regular season as an inability to protect his position became even more apparent when two backups had to be removed with injuries of their own.