Updated draft board on ESPN.com with a couple of interesting notes. Dre Kirkpatrick drops to number 19 and Justin Blackmon drops to number 12, while Quinton Coples rises to number 3 and Michael Brockers rises to number 10. Also, Devon Still and Whitney Mercilus are no longer ranked in the top 32.

Also this article reports that there is word that Carolina may be looking to draft a WR in the first round.

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The most recent well-written post by our very own manager, James Dator, gave me an insightful take on how most scouts and front offices view the combine. With all the media hype surrounding this annual event, their is always a chance that a coach and/or gm could become more enamored with measurables than they actually should. While there is no doubt that scouting departments across the league must proceed with caution when evaluating these prospects based on combine numbers alone, there is also a caveat to consider if one goes into this event with there eyes wide shut. Let's take some time to find out who ignored some gaudy numbers, and as a result, has payed a heavy price over the last several years.

Vernon Gholston is widely known today as the poster child for good combines gone bad. But there is another side to this that sometimes goes unnoticed. Let me put it to you this way: For every Vernon Gholston, I'll raise you a Connor Barwin. Let's go ahead and examine his remarkable story for a few minutes. Barwin was, for all intents and purposes, a failure during his first three years at Cincinnati. Up until his Senior season, his coaches had come to the conclusion that special teams and back-up tight end was his ceiling. Through some trial and error, they finally came to their senses by realizing that it wouldn't hurt to give him a shot at playing defensive end. To their surprise, he was a natural at the position and his stats only confirmed this fact. Barwin posted team highs of 11 sacks and 14.5 tackles-for-loss that final season, thereby introducing himself to the scouts and the nation in a very big way. His stock was appropriately on the rise, but there was understandable skepticism out there as well. Determined to further make a name for himself, he entered the combine with God-given talents that many players could only dream of. The only question that would remain in the aftermath was this: How much could his draft stock actually rise after putting up such formidable numbers? Let's review the tape and find out who he out-performed.

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I just came across a very interesting post at RotoWorld.com, from a report by CSN Bay Area. It's sort of a followup/add on to the earlier report that The Raiders have cut CB Stanford Routt (6-1, 195), to create salary cap room. The report is under the heading of Raiders FS Michael Huff.

Now, the news. The report by CSN Bay Area states that 5 more Raiders are likely on their list to be cut, starting FS Michael Huff, starting DT Tommy Kelly, DT John Henderson, CB Chris Johnson, and G Cooper Carlisle.

The Free Agent who might be of interest to the Panthers is starting DT Tommy Kelly (6-6, 300). Kelly is 31 years old, but that's younger than Panthers DT Ron Edwards, who would have to be traded to make room for Kelly any way. Kelly's 2012 salary is to be $6 million, and that's why Edwards $2,533,333 salary would need to be cut, to create some cap room. The important thing about Kelly is his inside pass rushing ability, with 7.5 sacks in 2011, and 7.0 sacks in 2010. If Kelly is cut, and he clears waivers, at his age, maybe the Panthers could sign him for less money (maybe $4-5 mil.). Here are Kelly's stats for the last season (in addition to his sacks), (2010 60 tackles) 41 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 5 passes defended, and 1 int.

The Panthers biggest need is an improved pass rush, and even more important an improved pass rush from the DT's. I would prefer a younger veteran DT than Kelly, but no affordable Free Agent DT is as productive. Amobi Okoye of the Bears did have 4 sacks in 2011, is much younger, and might only be around half the cost, but he's also less than half as effictive a pass rusher, in his career.

DT Tommy Kelly's strong inside pass rush would help open things up for CJ and Hardy at the DE's. Kelly could also be a great bridge if the Panthers were to draft a very raw rookie DT like Brockers, who only had 2 college sacks, and will likely need a few years to develop as an NFL pass rusher.

www.rotoworld.com/sports/nfl/football?r=1

www.nfl.com/player/tommykelly/2505830/profile

Here's my latest batch of Paw Prints starting with some 2012 predictions that in my view do not measure up:

First glance at 2012 playoff teams - NFC South Blog - ESPN
The Carolina Panthers are predicted to go 7-9. Again, that’s possible. But let’s remember, Carolina has an explosive offense with Cam Newton and linebacker Jon Beason and defensive tackle Ron Edwards will be coming back from injuries. Add a few more pieces to the defense and the Panthers easily could jump over the .500 mark.

That's a timid prediction in my book, a single game improvement from last year. I think I like this bold prediction much better:

30 Bold NFL Predictions for 2012 | Football Nation
The Carolina Panthers will win 11 games

I would add "Cam Newton will account for 40 TD's in 2012. That's only 6 more that he accounted for in 2011, a performance now labeled a defining moment in the 2011 season:

Newton wastes no time - Defining Moments of the 2011 NFL Season - Photos - SI.com
The No. 1 overall pick needed one week to prove he could play quarterback at the NFL level. And if a rookie-debut record 422 passing yards in Week 1 was not enough for skeptics, Newton topped himself the following week with 432 yards. The Panthers' quarterback threw for a rookie-record 4,051 yards this season. Newton tossed 21 touchdowns and ran in 14 more.

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As we draw closer to the madness in Indianapolis known as the NFL combine it's now that teams are finalizing their list of players who they really like, and plan to target in April. There's a wide assumption among NFL fans that the combine plays a large role in scouting, but in reality its role is very small; teams have scouting departments for a reason, and these scouts have been watching prospects for 2+ years in most cases, enough not to be swayed by flashy numbers at the combine.

Notice I said "in most cases". For every team who makes the prudent decision to evaluate film over the combine, there are others (read: Oakland) who are still wowed by all the measurables. This has netted the Raiders a rag-tag roster of amazing athletes, but mediocre football players. The fact is, as high as the Raiders have been drafting for the last decade they should better resemble Green Bay, not Arizona. Today lead scout for the Sporting News, Russ Lande put this in perspective the best way, with one tweet:

Russell Lande
I am a huge believer that this time of year is when scouting mistakes happen as players rating change based on non-football workouts/things.

Doesn't this sum up Cam Newton perfectly? While others were slaughtering Newton for his lack of accuracy in Indianapolis, and his 'icon and entertainer' gaff, the Panthers were focused on one thing: What he did at Auburn.

More after the jump

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I remember reading that if Cam did want to switch back to #2 jersey number he might have to buy out the back stock of jerseys (this came up when AP thought about switching) but now that we have tweeked the logo and they are changing all the jerseys anyway he should be off the hook on that one. Wonder if he might change? I guess either way you should wait for new Nike jerseys. Wonder when they come out?