Mike Adams, Colin Jones and Eric Reid are all set to be unr

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The Panthers currently have a lot of names on the roster at the safety position , but when you take a closer look at the list it’s not as great as one would hope.Damian Parms is an exclusive rights free agent. That leaves Da’Norris Searcy, Cole Luke, Rashaan Gaulden, Quin Blanding and Kai Nacua as the only safeties on the roster for 2019. That’s... that’s not a good group. There are six safeties the Panthers should consider drafting in the second or third round of the draft. Four of them are free safeties and two of them are strong safeties. I’ve broken them down in those groups to make it less confusing. Free safetyA rangy free safety is arguably the second biggest need on the Panthers’ defense after a premier pass rusher. The Panthers haven’t had one since Charles Godfrey was here, and he left in 2014. One could argue that Kurt Coleman fits the description, but he benefited from a beastly front seven that allowed him to make plays. Even if you do count him, his best year with Carolina was 2015. After parting ways with Coleman the Panthers added Mike Adams to the roster, and while he’s been a good player in his two years here he’s 75 years old and probably doesn’t have many good years left in him. Safety may not be the biggest need facing the Panthers as they rebuild their roster (or maybe it is), but it is absolutely a position they should have on their radar during the draft.Only one or two of these four players is really in consideration in the first round, but there’s a chance that all four of them are available for the Panthers in the second. Nasir Adderley , DelawareAdderley could be the only free safety taken in the first round this year. There’s a very high chance that he’s on the board at No. 16, but unless there are no first round pass rushers or offensive tackles the Panthers should probably wait until the second round to address the safety position. That probably means they won’t get Adderley, but if he somehow falls to Carolina in the second round they should jump on the opportunity.Deionte Thompson, AlabamaThompson was considered a first round pick a few months ago (he’s even been mocked to the Panthers at No. 16) but his stock has fallen recently and is now considered a strong second round pick. He has the tools to play free safety at the NFL level, and if he’s still there when the Panthers pick in the second round they should give him serious consideration. Taylor Rapp, WashingtonWalterFootball believes that Rapp is more suited for strong safety in the NFL, and if that’s the case then the Panthers should look elsewhere. Unless he’s still there in the third round... if that happens, they should draft him and find a way to make him fit into the defense. He’s too good to pass up at that point.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, FloridaGardner-Johnson played slot cornerback for the Gators but could also convert to safety at the next level. The Panthers also have a need for a slot corner if they decide to part ways with Captain Munnerlyn this offseason, so Gardner-Johnson’s versatility could be seen as a positive from the Panthers’ coaching staff. He’s a player to keep an eye on in the second or third round.Strong safetyThe Panthers could also look to add a strong safety if they decide against re-signing Eric Reid in free agency. While I believe re-signing Reid is the better option (better to buy something you are already familiar with than gamble on something that may or may not work out), the Panthers may feel like adding youth to the secondary is a better way to go.There are two strong safeties worth considering in the draft. Johnathan Abram , Mississippi StateAbram is arguably the best safety prospect in this year’s draft class. (Both CBS Sports and WalterFootball rank him as the No. 1 safety.) According to WalterFootball, scouts believe he is a ‘solid player with starting potential’. It should be noted that Abram is the only safety WalterFootball places a first round grade on, so he might not be on the board in the second round for Carolina. (They absolutely should not draft a strong safety at No. 16 overall. No. Negative. Nein. Nay.) If he’s still there in the second and the Panthers don’t want to re-sign Reid, Marty Hurney should definitely consider drafting him because it will be difficult to get a better value at that spot.Juan Thornhill, VirginiaThornhill’s biggest issue is that he played for Virginia, so hardly anyone has seen him play (no, that’s not a dig at Virginia*). He has solid measurables and some scouts believe he is the second best safety in this year’s class. He’s probably a second rounder, and if Abram is already gone then the Pantherscould be interested in him. Thornhill also falls under the ‘if the Panthers decide not to re-sign Eric Reid’ clause, but he’s definitely a player to watch as the draft approaches.Why aren’t more people talking about Dontari Poe? The Charlotte Observer recently had an interview with Panthers defensive tackle Dontari Poe. The interview, in short, was quite amusing. Not because there was any type of breaking news or anything , but because Poe is a man of few words. Poe didn’t need to go into details. He said what he needed to say and I respect that. This man that’s 345 pounds rather use his words on the field. But what I want to know is, why aren’t more people talking about him?The Panthers acquired Poe back in March on a three-year, $28 million deal. Previously, Poe was with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons. He has two Pro Bowls and two fat man touchdowns under his belt (not including a touchdown pass). Although he’s only recorded 15.5 sacks, he’s assisted for 61. Poe is arguably the Panthers best pickup in free agency this year. He’s versatile, quick for his size, and physical. Ron Rivera has raved about Poe’s physical ability thus far in training camp. Poe will help fill the void of losing Star Lotulelei in the 2018 free agent market. The Panthers weren’t stellar on the pass rush last season. Poe will only boost that area of need. But I really hope Poe gets another fat man touchdown this season.