Kendrick Norton adds explosiveness to Carolina Panthers defensive line
The Miami product should help the Carolina Panthers greatly.
It has been a long journey for Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kendrick Norton. After being selected with the No. 252 overall pick in this year’s draft, the former Miami product faced adversity at the outset.
He was the only member of the Carolina Panthers draft class not a part of the 53-man roster. As a result, he had to have a good preseason in order to even have a shot at making the big club. He put up modest numbers, recording three assisted tackles in four preseason contests.
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The team signed Connor Cook last week and released Norton to make room on the roster. This time, it was quarterback Kyle Allen who was released to make room for Norton on Monday.
In three seasons at the University of Miami, Norton recorded 84 total tackles (including 18 for a loss) and five sacks.
The Carolina Panthers currently possess two tackles on both the left and right sides. Kawaan Short leads the way while Kyle Love is slotted at the No. 2 spot on the right side. On the left side, Dontari Poe takes the top spot while Vernon Butler is his backup per the most recent depth chart from OurLads.com.
The Carolina Panthers may very well need depth at the position. Although all the names mentioned above are serviceable, having a rookie like Norton who can come in and play right away is always a bonus. We saw what the line was able to do against the Cowboys on Sunday with six sacks, and Norton has the potential to continue the aggressive style of play we saw on Sunday.
As his college highlights show, he can use his speed to get into the backfield quickly and make a play. He is a very solid tackler who is not afraid to come up and make a big play. Especially in a division where there are star quarterbacks and running backs on every team, that type of playstyle will be crucial for him to succeed and for the team moving forward.
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Norton has the potential to be another home run on the part of general manager Marty Hurney. He probably will not put up superstar numbers, but he could very well be a solid player in the National Football League. If the Carolina Panthers can add an impact player that is in the organization (and therefore not give up anything in the process) that would certainly be a win for them. Sometimes over the course of a long season, the little victories are the best ones.