INDIANAPOLIS -- As the Carolina Panthers and the 31 other NFL teams converge on the league's annual scouting combine this week, there's more urgency than ever to accurately prepare for a draft that has taken on increased importance due to a depleted free agency market.
With no sign of a thaw in negotiations between owners and the players' association for a new collective bargaining agreement, the league is headed toward an uncapped year. That creates significant changes to the scheduled March 5 opening of the free agency signing period.
There will be fewer unrestricted free agents and those who are available will be older than usual, with many or most either beyond their prime or at least nearing the backside of their careers.
There are 212 players with four or five years experience, including Panthers Thomas Davis, Richard Marshall and Jeff King, who normally would be unrestricted but instead will be restricted free agents. That's because rules in the uncapped year require six years experience instead of four to be eligible for absolute free agency.
Hence, as teams look to improve their rosters, they have to weigh whether to sign an older unrestricted free agent, surrender high draft picks to bid for a top restricted free agent, seek a player who's been cut by another team or hope to ace their draft.
Add in the fact that this draft is said to be deeper than usual and it's clear that teams are facing an unprecedented situation as they look to improve their rosters -- both for the short and long term.
"Our situation with free agency definitely puts more of an emphasis on the draft," Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters at the combine Thursday. "There's not many ways you can improve your team for the long haul other than the draft."
In years past, four-year players age 25 or 26 still in their early prime years were available on the unrestricted market, but not now.
One of the elite players in this year's unrestricted class is Panthers' defensive end Julius Peppers, who despite his status as an all-decade player, is 30, an age that has the potential to dissuade some bidders.
"Most of the players that are going to be available in free agency, the unrestricted players, are going to be players that are 29, 30, 31 years old," said Schwartz. "I think the biggest thing about that is, it places a lot more emphasis on getting the player right.
"You can get mileage out of a 29-year-old or a 30-year-old as long as you have a very specific role in mind for him and he fits your scheme and you feel good about that, because you're not going to have a whole lot of start-up time with him."
At age 29, 30 or 31, players have to fit almost immediately, or it'll be too late.
The increased emphasis on the draft actually fits the Panthers' overall philosophy. During the eight years with Marty Hurney as general manager and John Fox as head coach, they've become increasingly reliant on the draft and less apt to spend significantly on free agents.
"That's not to say you don't look at every avenue. You do," Hurney said Tuesday during a news conference in Charlotte. "(But) I believe our philosophy works best for us, and that is bringing guys in, getting them young, (so) you can teach them your ways, you can bring them up, they know the organization, they know what we expect of them."
Unless teams show a sudden affinity for swapping valued draft picks to get more active in the restricted free agent market, the Panthers' way could be a preferred strategy for more teams than ever this year.
"Regardless of the year, I always like picks," said Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli.
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