Ramblin' Fan
FanSided

2017 NFL Draft Order: Updated Selections Heading Into Divisional Round

By Dan Parzych

Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks on the sideline during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Los Angeles, 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks on the sideline during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Los Angeles, 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 25
Next
Dec 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) talks with head coach Ron Rivera in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. The Falcons defeated the Panthers 33-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) talks with head coach Ron Rivera in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. The Falcons defeated the Panthers 33-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Carolina Panthers

Who would have thought after only losing one game during the regular season in 2015 and falling just short of winning the Super Bowl, the Carolina Panthers would end up missing the playoffs after finishing at the bottom of the division with a 6-10 record? To go from defending NFC champions to only recording six wins the following year shows why the Panthers were one of the biggest disappointments from this past season, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of bouncing back.

One of the mains reasons behind the team’s struggles was due to the poor play of the defense as it became clear just how much this team missed Josh Norman at cornerback. Carolina made a bold decision in the offseason when making the decision to let Norman hit free agency, and clearly it backfired when seeing how terrible the defense looked throughout the regular season.

Hopefully, the Panthers spend the offseason focusing on improving their players at cornerback to make sure they protect the pass better in 2017. There’s only so much Cam Newton can do on his own for the offense without receiving the proper support from his defense, and for a team that was considered an early favorite in the NFC, nobody could have predicted this outcome.

Home/Rams Draft