4 position battles to watch during Panthers OTAs in 2021
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers OL
Keeping quarterback Sam Darnold upright will be absolutely critical to the Carolina Panthers next season. This is something the former first-round pick was not afforded at MetLife Stadium and the team is hoping there might be a lot more to come from the player in better surroundings.
Just who starts at some positions on the offensive line isn’t set in stone, to put it mildly. The Panthers have one of the NFL’s best right tackles in Taylor Moton after he signed his franchise tag, with another strong campaign from the Western Michigan product sure to come with a bumper new deal next spring or sooner.
Center Matt Paradis will anchor the line after agreeing to a contract restructure. But his production needs to progress again on the final year of his deal for a longer stay.
The final three starting spots are less clear.
Big things are expected of rookie Brady Christensen after the Panthers moved up to land the BYU star in the draft. His production in college was exceptional and Carolina might just decide to throw him in at left tackle from the outset providing his transition to the next level is a smooth one.
A host of names are vying for positions on the interior.
The likes of Deonte Brown, John Miller, Pat Elflein, Cam Erving, Dennis Daley, David Moore, and Mike Horton could all fancy their chances at prominent spots on the depth chart. Greg Little, Aaron Montiero, Sam Tecklenburg, and Trenton Scott are also fighting for their respective futures this offseason.
The conclusions made in this area of the field are vital and something the Panthers have to get right.