Why haven’t the Carolina Panthers paid Taylor Moton yet?
By Dean Jones
How good is Taylor Moton?
Very.
Taylor Moton is very good.
The former second-round pick has been a revelation over the last two seasons. Moton has emerged as one of the NFL’s brightest edge protectors and his flawless technique is something that really sets him apart from other players at the position.
Couple this with elite footwork and awareness that defies his years and the Carolina Panthers have a real player on their hands. Moton has given up two sacks and two penalties from 767 snaps this season on his way to a team-leading 82.6 grade from Pro Football Focus, which is a further indicator of just what a special player he is.
This is made even more impressive when one considers the level of opponent Moton has come up against in 2020. The likes of Joey Bosa and Chandler Jones wanted absolutely no part of the Western Michigan product after their first few exchanges and those that decided to hang fire and rush from the left have done so with little success.
It appears as if there will be plenty of changes to Carolina’s protection next spring. Russell Okung’s $13 million in base salary is coming off the books and he’s unlikely to return. There is also a case to be made for John Miller, Matt Paradis, and Chris Reed all being moved on. So losing Moton in this scenario would be nothing short of a disaster.