4 Panthers players who exceeded expectations against the Raiders

Matt Paradis – Carolina Panthers C

One of the primary problem areas before the Carolina Panthers stepped on the gridiron was their offensive line. This was a group that struggled mightily in 2019 and resulted in three of the five starting options in Week 1 making their debuts for the organization.

These fears have been alleviated thanks to a superb overall display from the unit. Each member of the line was at the top of their game and provided the sort of protection necessary for the likes of Christian McCaffrey and Teddy Bridgewater to shine. But one player in particular more than exceeded expectations in their season opener.

Matt Paradis endured a torrid time in 2019. This was partly down to the inept support around him. But there were plenty who questioned whether it was already time for the Panthers to move on from their big signing in free agency from the Denver Broncos.

There is plenty riding on this season for Paradis, who earned a respectable 64.1 grade from Pro Football Focus from his opening outing. This is a massive confidence boost for the player that he can build on as the season progresses.

Another notable feature of his overall contribution was Paradis’ communication with Bridgewater at the line of scrimmage. His snap distribution was smooth throughout and the timing seemed on point, which is remarkable considering they haven’t had any warmup games.