Since Richard Marshall was drafted in 2006, the Panthers have had the luxury of having "three starters" in their cornerback rotation, with Chris Gamble really stepping up his game and his consistency in the last year or so, and the steady (if sometimes burnable by good speed receivers) veteran Ken Lucas.  After Lucas was cut this offseason in a salary-saving move that actually didn't save much money at all (another story for another day), however, a lot of young players are going to be thrust in the spotlight and we'll find out if they're ready for the big time.  Below, we'll take a look at the players competing for spots on the roster and how the depth chart is shaping up for the 2009 season.

Base set (2 CBs)

Nickel Formation (3 CBs+Jon Beason/Thomas Davis)

You may be surprised not to see recently-signed 7th-round draft pick Captain Munnerlyn on either of these depth charts, but last season, the Panthers carried just five corners, and only three of those played more than a handful of snaps on defense.  The Panthers return four corners from their 53-man roster last year in starter Chris Gamble, nickel back Richard Marshall, and special teamers C.J. WIlson and Dante Wesley.  However, the team will be replacing its only departed starter in Ken Lucas--who had started for four relatively successful (if somewhat inconsistent) seasons--was cut in a cost-cutting move that only saved about $2.4 million after a trade with the Lions fell through after Lucas refused to play in Detroit.  Lucas was signed by the Seahawks--for whom he played his first four years in the league--and is currently listed as a starter opposite Marcus Trufant.

Now, a breakdown of every CB on the Panthers' current 80-man roster:

Chris Gamble (6th year, Ohio State) - 6'1", 200: Gamble has been a relatively successful draft pick of the Panthers after they traded up in the 2004 draft to get him, but last season, he really put it all together.  Gamble was never a full-time cornerback in college (playing wideout as well), and, as such, his technique and consistency was a work in progress from the beginning.  He had lots of interceptions early in his career (13 in his first two years), but that had a lot to do with the fact that he had good hands and opponents were willing to challenge him.  This year, though, even though the picks didn't necessarily come in bunches, he truly began to show those "shutdown corner" abilities every team looks for in their #1 CB.  As his teammate and fellow defensive starter Damione Lewis said:

"They stick him out on an island from time to time, and he's making plays out there.  Every time they threw to him, the ball is on the ground, it's batted down or he's getting a pick or a big hit.  He's (always) doing something where he's making a lot of noise over there."

To reward Gamble for his consistent improvement, the team signed him to a six-year, $53.5 million contract (of which $23 million is guaranteed) during Week 13.  This contract places him among the top five CBs in the NFL in terms of salary, but the money wasn't the only reason Gamble wanted to stay a Panther:

"I didn't want to be with another team. I like the organization, the coaching staff, the fans (and) my teammates," Gamble said on the day the contract was announced. "I wanted to get it out of the way."

By the end of the season, Gamble had scored the defense's only TD on a fumble return against the Chargers, led the secondary in tackles with a career-high 101, and tied for the team lead in INTs with three.  Hopefully he will not grow complacent with his new deal and will continue to provide performance commensurate with his salary.  It will also be interesting to see how Gamble, who has always played as more of a finesse corner, responds to Ron Meeks' system and coaching style, which has always called for a more physical corner who can be a stout and consistent tackler against the run.

Richard Marshall (4th year, Fresno State) - 5'11", 189: Marshall was a second-round pick of the Panthers in 2006 at a time when it seemed that he was blocked by established starters in Gamble and Lucas, but the Panthers have used this to their advantage, believing they've had three starter-quality corners in the event of any injury or the abundance of three-plus wideout sets now popular across the league.  As such, Marshall has started 14 games in his young career when stepping in for an injured Gamble or Lucas or when the team opened in a nickel set, although none of those starts came last year.  However, he was the only player to reach double figures in tackles on both defense and special teams (a role he's thrived in since he arrived), leading the team with 20 stops on kick and punt coverage.  He was somewhat inconsistent last year, particularly down the stretch as he was picked on by opposing quarterbacks.  In my opinion, though, he did not receive some deserved blame from fans that was instead ticketed for Lucas.  However, from having arrived to the team as something of an egotist, he showed his improving maturity in taking some of the responsibility after the huge performance by Antonio Bryant in the Week 14 MNF game against the Buccaneers.  Speaking about one long TD after the game, he said,

"A lot of people think it was Luke's fault; in reality it was my fault.  I was playing too close to the line (of scrimmage) and I hesitated and I didn't get back deep.  That was my fault.  I should never have been that far up.

"I watched film and they showed me where I did wrong and how close I was; I should have been back deeper and I've just got to learn from my mistakes and I'll be there next time."

He also summarized his season after the playoff game against Arizona:

"I feel like last season wasn’t one of my best seasons.  I feel I could have played better, tackled better, on defense and special teams."

Still, Marshall will have his chance to show his continued improvement and willingness to learn as he is currently pegged to be an opening-day starter for the first time in his career.  However, because of his (relative) lack of size, he's still ticketed to be the inside corner in nickel formations.  Hopefully Marshall responds to the challenge of being a true starter for the first time, and perhaps he will be spurred on by the fact that he is an unrestricted free agent after this season.  Whether it's for the Panthers or another team, Marshall is about to undergo a one-year audition for a starting role in the league.

C.J. Wilson (3rd year, Baylor University) - 6'1", 195: Wilson is a former seventh-round draft pick who played mostly CB in college but was initially slated to play safety in the NFL.  However, that didn't hold, and with the addition of Chris Harris and Charles Godfrey to the safety position, Wilson made the move back to CB and didn't look back.  He hasn't played much in his NFL career, logging just eight games total in two years, and just two of them last year on defense, but he did see lots of action in the preseason last year, starting one game against the Eagles on national TV as the nickel back.  Wilson was regarded relatively well for a late-round pick coming out of college:

"Wilson is a guy who really stood out to us when we watched all the defensive backs. He’s a versatile player who lined up at both safety and corner in college. Wilson was a real playmaker at Baylor and showed good ball skills on tape."

--Patriots Weekly, Patriots.com

A productive defensive back with above-average ball skills, Wilson nicely projects as a dime back at the next level and will get looks late in the draft.

--Sports Illustrated

At this time, Wilson seems to have impressed the Panthers, as he's currently slated to be the team's first sub corner, ahead of second-round pick Sherrod Martin, according to a blog entry by Darin Gantt of the Rock Hill Herald.

Small note, but an interesting one as they worked on two-minute offense against nickel defense Thursday. Even though he's a starter this year, CB Richard Marshall will maintain his inside responsibilities when they go to three corners. C.J. Wilson will cover an outside receiver when they go to an extra DB.  Sherrod Martin's also getting a look at the nickel spot, as the converted safety is working to learn a new position. 

Since that statement seemed very firm to me and I was surprised that a second-round pick would be getting reps only as a backup nickel to a starter who he almost certainly won't pass, I asked whether Gantt thought that personnel grouping was pretty final.  His response:

I think the nickel look (Marshall inside, with Gamble and Wilson outside) is probably solid, unless someone gets hurt or Munnerlyn freaks out and replaces Wilson. Wesley's a special teamer.

Surprising to see Martin not mentioned at all, but he is learning a new position, and only the season will tell, if Wilson can hold off his challengers as the top sub corner.  Chance of making team: 90% (WIlson hasn't shown a great affinity for ST play, so if he shows poorly through camp and falls down the depth chart, he could be cut in favor of Wesley or Munnerlyn, both of whom offer more versatility as special-teamers if not playing much at CB.)

Sherrod Martin (rookie, Troy) - 6'1", 198: Martin was a second-round pick this year of the Panthers--their third overall--and he hopes to be another of many players who has been able to make an impact out of Troy University in the Sun Belt Conference.  There are 13 alumni of the school in the NFL, including defensive standouts DeMarcus Ware, Osi Umenyiora, and Leodis McKelvin.  Like several other prospects in the last few years, the Panthers did not Shy away from using an early pick on a player they felt would need to make a position change to be most successful in the NFL.  Though Martin spent much of his college career at safety (both free and strong), he's being ticketed for cornerback with the Panthers.  There were those who thought he was better off staying at safety, but the Panthers were looking for a big, physical corner to replace the departed Ken Lucas.  Martin was a productive college player, setting an NCAA record for interceptions in a quarter with three in the second quarter last season against Alcorn State.  Martin was as surprised as anyone, as he had not had a single interception in nearly three years:

"I'm speechless.  The team did a lot of good things tonight. The defensive line and linebackers hustled and executed. I had the easy job, all I had to do was catch the football."

Martin was also a willing and frequent tackler, setting a school record among DBs (and ranking 10th overall) in Troy history with 191 solo tackles.  His 292 total tackles rank 2nd and 14th respectively on those two lists.  In his junior season, Martin also set a school record and led his conference with six forced fumbles, a great number for a DB.

Martin is a prospect who is relatively old for a rookie (25), a result of having greyshirted at the beginning of his college career and was granted a medical hardship for the '06-'07 year (what would have been his junior season) following dual shoulder surgeries to repair his AC joints, which are the pivot point which enables the arm to be brought above the head.  Impressively, though, Martin had played through these shoulder injuries during his sophomore year.  Martin also missed time in his redshirt junior season with a broken hand which required surgery and caused him to sit out a pair of games.

Finally healthy last year, Martin came out strong, establishing a new career high in tackles (94) and making the All-Sun Belt first team.  After the season, he was invited to the Senior Bowl, where he made three tackles and broke up a pass for the winning South team.  Martin also had an impressive showing at the combine, running a faster-than-expected 4.52 in the fourty (a mark he bettered with a 4.46 at his Pro Day) that showed off speed that would translate to the corner position.  In addition, he showed very well in the agility drills, posting the second-best short shuttle time of all players at the combine and tying for third among all players in the three-cone drill.

As a player, Martin is considered aggressive and physical, with strong tackling ability as well.  He is also unafraid to deliver the big hit, and his speed and agility project well at any position in the secondary.  However, there were those who question his instincts and ability to make the proper reads while up at the line as a cornerback rather than back off the line as a safety.  There is also some concern that Martin is a "workout warrior" whose tested physical abilities do not always translate to the field.  Finally, though he got through his senior year healthy and has shown the toughness to play through pain in the past, his injuries cannot be ignored.

Martin was drafted by the Panthers as a player whose physical abilities were a bit ahead of his football skills, particularly at the cornerback position, where he played little in college.  Because of this, it will be important to be patient with him, as his current dime back spot on the depth chart would be a disappointment for many given his draft position in the second round, particularly with a CB picked two spots later (Sean Smith) running as a starter for the Dolphins.  However, Martin's skillset fits well into what Ron Meeks asks of his cornerbacks and he should project as no less than a nickel back with the potential to play safety if needed who can be a standout as a special teams gunner (a role he played and succeeded in at Troy), an important ability given the need to replace Richard Marshall's reps at the position, which will fall off now that he is a starter.  Chance of making team: 100% (even if Martin does not win any more than the dime back job out of training camp, he'll be put on special teams and given a chance to develop; a 2nd-round pick won't be cut.)

Dante Wesley (8th year, Arkansas-Pine Bluff) - 6'1", 210: Though Wesley has never been a starting-caliber player (his two career starts came in his first two years for some pretty weak Panthers secondaries), he's found his niche in the league, never playing in fewer than 13 games through a seven-year career outside of 2006, when a broken collarbone limited him to three games.  Wesley ranked not only ranked third last year in special teams tackles with 11, but he was the only Panthers special-team player to both force and recover a fumble.  His TD return in Week 17 against the Saints was not only the only special teams TD for Carolina on the season, it helped provide the winning margin in a very tight game.  Though Wesley mostly plays on special teams, he also has the size and ability to play safety in addition to his listed cornerback position, which may allow him to keep a roster spot even if Munnerlyn impresses.  Chance of making team: 70%

Captain Munnerlyn (rookie, South Carolina) - 5'8", 186: Munnerlyn was a surprising early-entrant after his junior year who was disappointed to fall all the way to the 7th round after being told by the NFL advisory committee that he'd likely be picked in the first three rounds of this year's draft.  The most notable thing about him is probably his lack of size: at 5'8", he will likely struggle against NFL-size wideouts, and while his speed is good, it didn't time at the elite level at the combine, where he ran a 4.51, despite having reportedly run as fast as 4.35 last summer.  He did improve his time to a 4.41 at his Pro Day, but many scouts had already written him off after his poor combine showing.  Many were surprised that Munnerlyn ended up declaring for the draft because, after a good sophomore year (in which he made first team All-SEC), he struggled at times last year, both on and off the field.  Though he played a lot of zone throughout his college career, the signs he had shown of man-to-man shutdown ability seemed to fade some last year, registering no interceptions last year after racking up five in the previous two.  In addition, Munnerlyn was benched by Steve Spurrier on two occasions last year, once against Mississippi for missing a team meeting and for the second half against Clemson along with fellow secondary member Emmanuel Cook.  Spurrier had the following to say after the game:

"A few guys aren't playing quite like they did early in the year. I think that was obvious.  It's disappointing. Football season's a long time. Teams either get better or worse. I thought we were getting better after the Arkansas game, and then it seems like we've taken a down turn since then."

Still, there are plenty of things to like about Munnerlyn and his game.  In spite of his short frame, he's got solid strength and he plays tough, allowing him to be a pretty consistent tackler.  His closing speed and change-of-direction ability help him overcome his lack of size.  In addition, he has solid return ability on both kicks and punts.  He had a game last season in which he returned both a blocked field goal for an 81-yard touchdown and a kick for an 84-yard touchdown (the longest kick return for South Carolina in more than ten years.)  Consistency and awareness are two things Munnerlyn needs to work on, as he was beaten by receivers with precise route-running and NFL-style double moves.  He also missed time in each of his three seasons with injuries, including an arm infection, a broken foot, and flu-like symptoms. 

Munnerlyn is an interesting prospect who likely could have improved his draft stock by returning for his senior year, but a seemingly contentious relationship between himself and Steve Spurrier helped encourage him to begin his pro career early.  Though I don't see Munnerlyn making the roster unless he can win the return job, he looks like a good practice squad candidate who could be a sold contributor in a year or two.  Chance of making roster: 20%

D.J. Clark (rookie, Idaho St.) - 6'0", 200: Clark is a player with mid-round productivity, but late-round/UFA measurables.  A college safety and a member of last season's pre-season All Big Sky team and the second team in the conference after the season, he is not particularly big or fast (4.63 speed), but has good hands (leading his team in interceptions for all of his four years in college) and plays with high intensity.  His strength is consisdered to be in man-to-man coverage rather than zone, but he is a willing tackler with solid technique in coverage.  I've also read that he can return kicks, but I can't confirm that anywhere.  Idaho State apparently doesn't do a great job of archiving their stats.  Chance of making team: 1% (and that's assuming he can compete to return.)