Offensive Line Breakdown....

After coming off the great 2008 rushing season a lot of the thanks can be paid to our offensive line. This is one of the best groups in the entire NFL:

Jordan Gross, 3.0 sacks (15 games) PRO BOWLER
Travelle Wharton, 2.5 sacks allowed (14 starts)
Ryan Kalil, 0 sacks allowed (12 starts)
Jeff Otah, 5.0 sacks allowed (12 starts)
Keydrick Vincent- 3.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)

Otah is a rookie and is still learning the position. However, 5 sacks allowed as a LT is not that much in this league. Look for him to grow of this year. Wharton could have been the MVP of the game @ Green Bay. Making key blocks and recovering a fumble downfield near our endzone; he was a game changer. Vincent is the only lineman to stay healthy the whole year and boy was he solid. Jordan Gross, our pro bowler had a great year, but critizied for his false-start penalities. Look for Delhomme and Gross to fix this problem in the offseason.

While Gross is a Pro Bowler, he's not the kind of dominant left tackle who simply eliminates a good defensive end. But Gross and Otah are very solid run blockers and able to more than hold their own in pass blocking. With a pair of very talented backs and Steve Smith, that's enough to give the Panthers a chance to compete with anybody.

But here is the problem with the line. DEPTH. Panthers have lost Frank Omiyale, Geoff Hangartner, and Jeremy Bridges. Now what? We still of Bordeneau and Schwatz but I am certain Carolina will pick up an offensive linemen in between rounds 3-5. We need to add depth as we saw last year the plague of injuries that can occur to these big men.

Chances Carolina will use a high draft pick on an offenslive linemen: Very High