2020 NFL mock draft: Free agency changes team needs

By Brad Weiss | Mar 18, 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Joe Burrow #9 of the LSU Tigers rolls out of the pocket during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers topped the Clemson Tigers, 42-25. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 01: Isaiah Simmons #11 of the Clemson Tigers reacts against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the first quarter during their game at Bank of America Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Carolina Panthers. Isaiah Simmons. 7. player. 87. . Linebacker/Safety

The Carolina Panthers made a big statement on Tuesday, as they announced that they would be letting starting quarterback Cam Newton look for a new place to work. Newton has been the face of the franchise for years, leading them to a Super Bowl berth, but with a new head coach in town, his time was up.

Carolina will be replacing Newton with a solid young quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, who went undefeated as a starter last season for division rival New Orleans when Drew Brees was injured. The Panthers have talent on both sides of the ball to be a threat in a tough NFC South next season, and they get the most versatile defensive talent in this draft class here at No. 7.

Isaiah Simmons from Clemson is a guy who can play all over the field, and will have a Derwin James-like impact at the NFL level. Simmons would be joining a Panthers defense that lost a leader in linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement, and new head coach Matt Rhule could certainly find plenty of ways to utilize his skill set.

32. . Offensive Tackle. Arizona Cardinals. Mekhi Becton. 8. player

The Arizona Cardinals got the tampering period kicked off with a bang, trading with the Houston Texans for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. That gives second-year quarterback Kyler Murray arguably the best wide receiver in football, pairing him with Larry Fitzgerald as he looks to get the Cardinals back to the playoffs.

With Hopkins on board, and talent at the skill positions, the Cardinals need to make sure they continue to bolster the offensive line. They are bringing back D.J. Humphries to man one side of the line, and at pick No. 8, they bring in a monster of a man to pair with Humphries for the long haul.

Mekhi Becton is not only incredibly big, but he is as athletic as they come for a guy his size, and it will be interesting to see if Murray can get the ball over his head. In all seriousness, this is a team that is going to be dangerous on offense next season, and Murray showed as a rookie that he can lead this team and win games at the NFL level.

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