5 reserve/future Panthers players who can contribute in 2021
By Dean Jones
Aaron Monteiro – Carolina Panthers OL
Aaron Monteiro spent a considerable amount of time around the Carolina Panthers in 2020. The offensive lineman was seen as a raw prospect with plenty of upsides, but there is still some work from a technical perspective that needs to be done moving forward.
That being said, the Panthers have some substantial upcoming problems surrounding their protection. All five current starters have doubts about their future in Carolina and this might leave them short of options given how much the salary-cap might be coming down due to COVID-19 revenue losses in recent months.
Monteiro will get a head start on anyone coming in via free agency or the 2021 NFL Draft. He is familiar with both the scheme and the set-up, so couple this with the versatility to play either at guard or tackle and the Panthers might just have something with the former Boston College standout.
Another feature of Monteiro’s game that shouldn’t be ignored is his physicality. The player is highly aggressive off the block and although this still needs a little refinement, Carolina feels they could possibly progress the blocker further during his sophomore campaign.
Making the jump from year one to year two isn’t the easiest for players like Monteiro. But he shouldn’t be written off just yet.