Panthers 2018 season opener countdown: 55 days to go W

e are 55 days away from the beginning of the Carolina Panthers 2018 season. That means today we take a closer look at linebacker David Mayo.David Mayo Blue Michael Palardy Jersey , LinebackerBioHeight: 6’2”Weight: 245 lbsAge: 24College: Texas StateNFL Experience: 4 yearsMayo, like Jermaine Carter and former Panther AJ Klein, was a 5th round pick who the Panthers selected to back up their stable of first round talents at linebacker and contribute on special teams. He has seen significant playing time, largely in relief of an injured Luke Kuechly, over the past couple of years and has not disappointed. Even as the NFL moves towards nickel defenses as a base formation, and consequently devaluing depth a the linebacker position, Mayo has continued to earn his spot on the Panthers’ roster. We can expect to see more of him in 2018 as Thomas Davis Michael Palardy Jersey 2019 , Sr. opens the season serving a 4 game suspension.As a 2015 draft pick, Mayo is now entering a contract year. He has certainly proven himself as a capable NFL player, but there is no guarantee that he will re-sign with the Panthers. AJ Klein was allowed to depart the Carolinas in free agency after his rookie deal expired because he earned the right to start somewhere. Mayo hasn’t flashed quite that much ability just yet. However, between the motivation of playing for his next contract and the opportunity afforded by Davis’ suspension, 2018 may o may not be his breakout year. The Carolina Panthers need a defensive end —really, two defensive ends— more than anything else in 2019. The retirement of Julius Peppers has left the team with only three athletes under contract at the position: Mario Addison, Efe Obada Daryl Williams Jersey 2019 , and Marquis Haynes. The rest of the contributors from last season are free agents at present and shouldn’t be considered as top targets for the team given their contributions helped usher Ron Rivera’s once vaunted defense to a 27th place finish for sacks in the league last season.Pass rushers have the ability to make or break a game for a team in a way that is only surpassed by quarterbacks. Because of this, they are one of the most sought after positions in free agency and the draft. The Panthers, with a laundry list of needs and only $18 million in cap space, probably can’t afford to get in the kind of bidding wars it takes to land premier talent. They have to invest in defensive end and they are going to have to do that through the draft.Later today we are going to talk about the odds of hitting on useful defensive end talent through the draft in every round and we are going to talk about current general manager Marty Hurney’s history with drafting defensive end.For now, we are just going to consider how insane it is that the Panthers have such a dearth of talent at such an important position. In 2017, former general manager Dave Gettleman traded up in the third round to draft former Panthers defensive end Daeshon Hall. He had a negligible impact with the team before being released in September of last year. Last year, Hurney traded up in the fourth round to draft undersized defensive end Haynes Blue Daryl Williams Jersey , who has had a similar impact to Hall in his one season with the team. Obada, while having a great story, doesn’t have a great deal of experience to recommend him yet.The departure of Peppers means that there is neither a past nor a future of the position on the team today. Obada is a gamble and Haynes hasn’t shown enough to warrant any prognostication. The Panthers can’t afford to take mid to late round fliers on possible talents anymore. Addison will turn 32 this season. The Panthers have an immediate need for talent and youth at a position of nearly unparalleled importance for their defense. There is no telling how low the floor is for that entire unit in 2019 if they don’t walk out of the draft with a day one starter at defensive end.