CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Panthers say theyd like to find a replacement for longtime No. 1 wide receiver Steve Smith in this years NFL draft. The big question is when theyll do it. The Panthers have the 28th overall pick, but the NFC South champions have a variety of needs after getting hit hard in free agency, and could go in a number of directions with their first-round choice. General manager Dave Gettleman said recently that wide receiver, offensive tackle and cornerback are among the teams top needs, but qualified that statement by adding he wont got out of his way to land one. "When you reach for a position of need youre in trouble," he said. Gettleman said he has some reservations about drafting a receiver in the first round because it often takes them longer to adjust to the NFL game than those who play other positions. "History tells you that its a very difficult position to assimilate into (the NFL), especially with the current game being played at the college level," Gettleman said. Gettleman called it a "wide receiver heavy" draft that includes several players whove put up big numbers. He said the trick is finding guys who can easily make the transition to the next level. "Ill look at a guy and hes caught 90 balls ... but of those 45 were flash screens," Gettleman said. "The other 45 he caught, he ran to three spots. So, do they understand coverage? Theyre going to have to learn the whole route tree. How long is it going to take them to assimilate? Its an issue. Its a problem." Smith was released in a salary cap move earlier this off-season. Replacing his toughness and production wont be easy. He caught 836 passes for 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns for the Panthers in 13 seasons. However, after averaging 76 receptions for 1,284 yards receiving and 5.5 touchdowns in his first two seasons playing with quarterback Cam Newton, Smiths numbers fell off in 2013. He caught 64 passes for 745 yards and four TDs. The Panthers signed free agents Jerricho Cotchery, Jason Avant and Tiquan Underwood, but none is expected to become the next No. 1 receiver in Carolina. Five things to watch from the Panthers in the draft: ON THE FRONT BURNER: Jordan Gross retired this off-season, leaving a huge hole at left tackle — one the Panthers potentially could address in Round 1. Gettleman said there are some tackles in the draft dont have "left tackle feet," but said that doesnt necessarily matter. "There are only so many elite tackles," he said. "There are plenty of guys playing left tackle in this league that dont have classic left tackle feet." Finding a left tackle might take on added importance given Newton is coming off ankle surgery this off-season. FIRST ROUND SUCCESS: The Panthers have had tremendous success with their first-round picks the last three seasons. They grabbed defensive tackle Star Lotulelei from Utah at No. 14 in 2013, and he looks like hes going to be around the league for quite a while. They drafted linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 11 in 2012 and quarterback Cam Newton first overall the year before that. Kuechly was the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, while Newton was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011. BLUE GOOSE: Last year, Gettleman said the Panthers needed to add some "hog mollies," or big linemen. This year, the Boston native switched gears, saying if there is a "blue goose" pass rusher available at No. 28 he wouldnt pass on him. Tough to know what a blue-winged bird native to Ethiopia has to do with building a football team, though. CORNERBACK ON RADAR: The Panthers lost starting cornerback Captain Munnerlyn to Minnesota in free agency. While they signed free agent Antoine Cason, dont rule out cornerback as an option with one of the teams top three picks. The Panthers have one pick in each of the seven rounds. DONT BE REACHING: The Panthers are determined not to reach for picks at positions of need. They followed that plan last year and took defensive tackle Kawaan Short from Purdue in the second round — even after selecting Lotulelei in the first. "Last year, K.K. (Short) was obviously the best value in that second-round pick," Gettleman said. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Vapormax 2019 Black .75 million contract for the 2014 season and avoided arbitration. The team announced the agreement on Tuesday. Vapormax Plus Red Shark Tooth . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p. http://www.vapormaxcheapoutlet.com/clearance-vapormax-plus.html . The Indians scored twice in the top of the ninth, getting the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by closer Matt Lindstrom. Axford (0-1) came in seeking his fifth save in as many chances. Vapormax Flyknit 3 Outlet . CNN and Gazzetta dello Sport reporter Tancredi Palmeri broke the news via Twitter Tuesday afternoon. Italian Football Association President Giancarlo Abete has also resigned, according to Palmeri. Vapormax Flyknit 2 Discount . This week, they discuss the NCAAs revenue sharing, Don Zimmer, soccer language and Super Bowl 50.Liverpool - ever hear of it? Most of you have known it as the home of The Beatles. The one Im talking about is the home of country and western singer Hank Snow (Hank, who died in 1989 would have been 100 this year). Im talking about the other Liverpool - the one in Canada - Atlantic Canada - on the south coast of Nova Scotia 90 minutes south of Halifax. Its nice, cute and quaint - almost a flashback in time look-type of town. Population of about 2,000, bolstered by the adjoining communities of Milton and Brooklyn. So you the idea that this is small town Canada, even very small town. Needless to say, Liverpool doesnt make national headlines. But it has in recent years and it wasnt for good reasons. Over a year ago the big White Point resorts main lodge went up in flames, putting a tourist hub out of work. And then the industry that gave this area its birth - the Bowater paper mill - closed and put hundreds of others out of work after 83 years. Yes, its been tough times. But a decision was made almost four years ago to build a recreation centre and arena - to the tune of $21 million - and its this centre that is the star of Liverpool today. And this tiny town is hosting a big national sporting event as the Canadian Junior National Curling championships are being held here. Of course, TSN - which is accustomed to broadcasting in small towns as shown by the Kraft Celebration Tour - is here. They made it to a neighboring town of Bridgewater for one delightful Sunday afternoon on last summers tour. But Bridgewater at 20,000 people is a metropolis compared to Liverpool. This is by far the biggest event ever held in Liverpool going back to 1759, and it all comes back to the new arena which, like so many places in Canada, is the centre of a town. Before this event, one has to go back 50 to 60 years in the days of the H&D Baseball League when Moe Drabowsky came to town to get big provincial coverage. Remember Moe? He was an American baseball player who came to this region to play semi-pro ball. Moe Drabowsky pitched in Liverpool on his way up to a decent major league career. He pitched in the majors for many teams, but is remembered for his days with Baltimore. He still holds a major league record of striking out 11 batters in a relief appearannce in the 1966 World Series and his six consecutive strikeouts of the Dodgers - tying him with a mark set in 1909.dddddddddddd Moes Orioles beat the Dodgers winning four straight. No NHL hockey players or CFLers have ever come from Liverpool. There are some provincial highlights, but not national ones over the decades. The local legion held the National Cribbage tournament in 2013, but that doesnt count as it really was confined to legions across the county and crib is not a spectator sport. We as Canadians talk a lot about our love for hockey and arenas across Canada and this building has given this area that has suffered so many hard knocks over the year a great showcase. The reason this national curling event is here - and the reason the TSN mobile trucks are in town - is Queens Place. There is no other reason. The curling will be underway with the womens finals on Saturday and the mens final on Sunday afternoon. If you thought the Kraft Celebration Tour was big in nearby Bridgewater five months ago, you have to see this event. Its nothing for the NHL and CFL centres to get national coverage. Its a much bigger deal for when a very small community gets, even for just a few hours, the national spotlight for a sporting event. Queens Place, in its second year, still looks like new. There was a little resistance as the hockey rink changed to a curling venue, but most of that dissipated when folks realized what an economic boom this national curling event was to this area. Signs of "Welcome to our House" are all over the place, along with "Liverpool Rocks." The folks in this area have battled back from many debilitating blows over the last few years and have staged a great national curling event. This weekend will showcase the building and the town on national television on TSN. Its a good story - maybe even a great one. This is my 25th year affiliated with TSN - 12 of them on television reporting from every nook and cranny in Atlantic Canada. And six years ago I moved to the Liverpool area. In my 25 years of covering stories in Atlantic Canada, this is my first shout out from here and Im glad – and proud - to do so. For TSN.ca, Im Alex J. Walling. Alex J. can be reached via email at: ajw@eastlink.ca ' ' '