10 best Carolina Panthers players on the roster right now
By Dean Jones
No. 3: Taylor Moton – Carolina Panthers OT
Taylor Moton‘s rise to one of the NFL’s best offensive lineman is now complete. The right tackle has been in exceptional form this season and the effortless way he’s dealt with dominant pass-rushers has been a standout feature of his overall contribution.
The Carolina Panthers should move heaven and earth to keep Moton around beyond this season. His contract is set to expire this spring and if the decision-makers have any sense whatsoever, they will give the former Western Michigan standout whatever he wants when it’s time for negotiations to begin.
No. 2: Brian Burns – Carolina Panthers DE
The strides made by Brian Burns from his rookie campaign to this one have been extraordinary. His evolution into a three-down defensive end who can make a difference in a multitude of different ways leaves great cause for encouragement moving forward and this is down to nothing more than hard work during the offseason.
Burns has elite explosiveness and a refined series of pass-rushing moves that make him incredibly difficult to stop. Once he takes that next step and figures out how to finish off more plays after getting into the backfield, there will be few better than the Florida State product.
No. 1: Christian McCaffrey – Carolina Panthers RB
Christian McCaffrey has only played 3.5 games this season due to shoulder and ankle problems. But one only has to look at how much the Panthers have missed him at times to see just what a special player he is.
When players sit out for long periods, it’s easy to forget this. McCaffrey is a rare talent and is still the best player on the Panthers roster despite his relative lack of activity during the 2020 season.
Hopefully, for the player and the organization, McCaffrey will be raring to go after the bye week and this might come with a strong finish from Carolina down the stretch.