CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers walked out of Bank of America Stadium late Monday morning, and every player I talked to was confident they had the leadership and talent to be something in 2012.

I suspect last season Tampa Bay was similarly confident. The Buccaneers won 10 games in the 2010 season. This year they quit and their coach was fired.

For Carolina to contend in 2012 it has to do several things right.

The Panthers have to: Again select the right player in the first round of the draft.

All they need is a pass rusher, an interior run stopper, an offensive lineman, a linebacker, a cornerback and maybe a safety.

But they don’t have to invest their first-round pick on any of them. They can afford to take the best talent available.

The player I’d love to see trickle down is Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. If he does, the Panthers should (A) drop to their knees and (B) take him.

Most mock drafts have Blackmon going long before the Panthers select. But most January mock drafts are comical.

Last season some had the Panthers taking quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the top pick. The Panthers did consider Gabbert. They considered him about as long as you’ll consider what to eat for lunch.

The Panthers have to: Hope their young players develop. Terrell McClain, a rookie defensive tackle who was a third-round pick, had moments. Next season, he’ll need more.

Brandon Hogan, a cornerback who went one round after McClain, is usually injured. If he’s finally healthy, he has the talent to start.

The Panthers also have to: Hope their veterans develop. Safety Sherrod Martin, who always looked as if he was going to be good, has been erratic. Giving up the late first-half touchdown to New Orleans Sunday was Carolina’s single worst defensive play of 2011.

The Panthers have to: Hope the second-tier free agents they sign contribute.

Just so you know, they again will not pursue high-priced celebrity free-agents. Like Green Bay and Pittsburgh, the Panthers will fill their roster through the draft and supplement those draft choices with second-tier free agents.

Examples of second-tier free agents are two players they added before the 2011 season: Ron Edwards, a 315-pound defensive tackle, who tore his triceps in training camp and never played; and tight end Jeremy Shockey, who provided Newton with a dependable target.

I can live with Carolina’s free agent philosophy as long as the Panthers draft well and retain the free agents they develop.

Lastly, the Panthers have to: try to hang on to offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.

Chudzinski was able to install his system and instill his philosophy in his first season without the customary mini-camps, with a short training camp and a rookie quarterback. He is the most creative coach the Panthers have had.

The Jaguars can make him a head coach.

Advantage: Jacksonville.

If he accepts the job, the Jaguars are unlikely to allow him to commute.

Advantage: Charlotte.

The Panthers are as optimistic as a 6-10 team is allowed to be. But momentum ends when the season does. The next eight months will be as important as the past four.