Carolina Panthers offensive line version 3.0 to start Week 2

The Carolina Panthers are on their third offensive line combination to begin Week 2…

Entering 2018, all eyes were on the left guard position and who would replace All-Pro Andrew Norwell for the Carolina Panthers. Expected to be a battle between Amini Silatolu and Brendan Mahon, eventually it was Greg Van Roten who earned the start in Week 1 against Dallas after Silatolu had been injured.

One of three projected starters – Matt Kalil (LT), Daryl Williams (RT) – injured along the offensive front prior to game one, two rehabbed and were available by kickoff. Both Silatolu and Williams played last week while it was Kalil, who was placed on the Injured Reserve list.

Williams started but saw his season shortened significantly after suffering a different injury to his previously hurt knee. At that point, Silatolu, who had only appeared in jumbo packages, entered to fill the void at right tackle.

The starting group – Version 1.0 – consisted of second-year utility lineman Taylor Moton, Van Roten, Ryan Kalil, Trai Turner and Williams, starting from left to right in front of quarterback Cam Newton.

More from Cat Crave

• Ranking the top-five QB prospects the Panthers could draft in 2023
• 4 remaining Carolina Panthers cap crunches after Damien Wilson release
• Could Duce Staley help Carolina Panthers land Jamaal Williams in 2023?
• How much could the Carolina Panthers afford to offer Lamar Jackson?
• 4 Panthers rumors to emerge from 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

By the end of the game – Version 2.0 (Moton, Van Roten, Kalil, Turner, Silatolu) – earned a single first-down on the Panthers final three possessions. Two punts before the victory formation, things could have ended differently if not for the Cowboys turnover on downs sandwiched between each punt.

General manager Marty Hurney and coach Ron Rivera began making plans for Week 2 by adding experienced tackle Chris Clark, who has started 53 games over eight season for both the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans.

While Version 3.0 of the Panthers offensive line was already in the works for NFC South divisional rival, Atlanta, news of right guard Trai Turner being placed into the concussion protocol made it essentially a certainty.

For a second consecutive week Carolina starts a different group of players on their offensive line. Both Silatolu and Mahon have practiced to replace Turner along with backup center Tyler Larsen. Silatolu is expected to be the front-runner due to his flexibility and past experience but either of the others could also see action – especially if Silatolu isn’t 100-percent.

Either way, it will be the third and potentially fourth different combination of players on the field for Carolina along the offensive line within the past two weeks – an alarming change for a group that remained consistent throughout an entire season (2015) and was only expected to replace one starter this year.