The Carolina Panthers do not have a whole lot of holes to fill on this team thanks to excellent drafting the last few years.

However, there are a few players that are already in the system that may be ready to take that next step into their own this year.

In this article we will breakdown the Panthers that we think are primed to take the next step in their careers.

Shaq Thompson: Linebacker

Yes, Thomas Davis is still around and is likely to be here for at least another year or two. But we were treated to multiple glimpses of why Dave Gettleman drafted this young man in the first round.

Thompson has the speed to be able to keep up with slot receivers. He has the size to match up with tight ends. In run coverage Thompson has shown an ability to read and react to Running Backs well. Not to mention, the fact that he played Safety, Linebacker, and Running Back in college means that he likely fully understands what is expected of him in any situation.

While he will still be limited in playing time it is likely that we again see why Shaq is Thomas Davis’ heir apparent.

Devin Funchess: Wide Receiver

Funchess kind of got thrown to the fire last year. He was going to sit for a little while and learn the system, but the Kelvin Benjamin went down. With Ted Ginn Jr. moving into the #1 position Funchess was almost by default named the number two receiver. To his credit he didn’t disappoint.

As a rookie he had a respectable performance of 31 catches, 437 yards, and five touchdowns. However, this year with Kelvin Benjamin coming back, and likely drawing double coverage, I think we are going to see Devin Funchess break out.

He has the size and the hands to be the best number two receiver Carolina has seen since Moose.

Kony Ealy: Defensive End

We saw the kind of disruptive presence that Kony Ealy late in the 2015 season.

In Weeks 7 through 11 Kony Ealy registered a sack every game, then he added three more sacks in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos. Eight sacks on the year might not sound like a huge deal, but you have to remember that he has been splitting time with the likes of Jared Allen and Mario Addison, which makes that number relatively impressive.

With the retirement of Jared Allen and the prospect of Frank Alexander ever being “that guy” dwindling, this year is the perfect opportunity for Kony to show that he should be given a majority of the snaps.

The coaches are extremely high on him and feel like he has the tools to do so. Let’s hope they are right.