Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers, who finished 8-8 last season, have made their off-season strategy very clear – purge the roster of aging or overpriced veterans. They mercifully released turnover machine and quarterback Jake Delhomme, and have watched stalwart defensive end Julius Peppers sign with the Bears while also releasing a number of defensive linemen. Will the move to get younger pay off?

Team Strengths:

- Power Running Game (The dynamic duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart wreaked havoc on opposing defenses in 2008, making the Panthers the third best rush offense in the NFL with an average of 156.1 yards per game)
- Steve Smith (Smith’s numbers were down in 2009, but more of that was a result of bad quarterback play than a decline in his skills. Prior to breaking his arm in Week 16, Smith had three straight games with a score)
- Offensive Line (As good as Williams and Stewart are, they weren’t getting those rush yards solely on their own. Much of the Panthers’ success on the ground had to do with the big boys up front clearing the way for the RBs)

Team Needs:

1. Quarterback - Carolina trudged the No. 27 passing offense onto the field last season, and they need to fix that in order to balance out their potent running attack. Matt Moore will likely go into the season as the starter for the team, but he’s unproven, meaning they still need to bring in a veteran back-up just in case.

2. Defensive Line - The Panthers had just 31 sacks last season, the ninth-fewest in the NFL, and they’ve already lost Julius Peppers (10.5 sacks) this off-season. Meanwhile, Tyler Brayton, who was second on the team with 5.0 sacks, is a free agent. The good news is that Charles Grant is a former third-round pick who had four sacks last season, and last season, they traded their first-round pick in this year’s draft for Everette Brown, who had 2.5 sacks, so there is some promise there. Still, they need to fill in the gaps.

3. Receiver/Tight End - There’s Steve Smith and then there’s … Steve Smith. Carolina desperately needs to get more offensive pass-catching weapons in the fold to bolster a weak passing game. They have second-round flops Dwayne Jarrett and Dexter Jackson (signed after Tampa Bay released him), so it’s possible one of those two finally develops, but don’t hold your breath.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There isn’t much the Bucs don’t need to improve on. They have a young quarterback that struggled, few offensive weapons, and a run defense that was the worst in the NFL last season. So, their strategy is pretty easy to decipher – they need everything.

Team Strengths:

- Solid Running Attack (You know it’s bad when one of your team’s strengths is a rushing attack that ranked 23rd in the league. But, in reality, the Bucs do have guys on their roster that can run with the football, boasting the likes of Carnell Williams, Derrick Ward, and Earnest Graham. The key is getting them attempts by keeping drives going with the passing game)
- Kellen Winslow (The Bucs’ top pass catcher in 2009, Winslow hauled in 77 passes for 884 yards and 5 scores, fine production from the tight end position)
- CB Aqib Talib and S Tanard Jackson (Both Talib and Jackson were able to frustrate opposing QBs, as both tallied 5 INTs in 2009)

Team Needs:

1. Wide Receiver - Only Winslow had at least 40 catches and over 600 yards for the Bucs in 2009. Antonio Bryant is a free agent, and the team may not re-sign him, but no matter what happens, it’s imperative for them to go after wide outs in free agency or, more likely, the draft. If they don’t, it’s going to be hard for sophomore QB Josh Freeman to continue his development as an NFL QB.

2. Defensive Line - Tampa lacks playmakers along the defensive line, and that’s evident when you look at their roster and the stats from last year. Tampa tallied just 28 sacks on the season and allowed opposing RBs to gash them, giving up a staunch 4.8 yards per carry. They need a pass-rushing presence on the edge of the defense and run stopper in the middle.

3. Cornerback - With Talib and Jackson, the Bucs have the makings of a solid young secondary, but they’ll need another cornerback to eventually replace Ronde Barber. Still, they’re not that far away from having a very good back four.

NFC Needs By Division:  NFC West  |  NFC North |  NFC South  |  NFC East

AFC Needs By Division:  AFC West  |  AFC North  |  AFC South  |  AFC East

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