A lot of different factors go into making an NFL team a contender or a dud. Scouting, coaching, and development all play their part, but at the end of the day the single greatest factor will always be the talent of the players on the roster. In that department, the Carolina Panthers hit their peak 10 years ago when they nearly went undefeated in the regular season and made it to the Super Bowl. At the time, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly and Kawann Short were all core blue-chip pieces that were among the best players in the NFL.