4 Carolina Panthers players who could be breakout stars in 2021
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers players have the potential to become breakout stars during the 2021 season?
There is a lot of exciting young talent residing on the Carolina Panthers roster. The organization has undergone some significant changes since head coach Matt Rhule took over at the helm, with the primary focus being on hungry, athletic individuals who all have a point to prove and can develop at their own pace.
This is all part of rebuilding an organization that has been a little stale since David Tepper bought the Panthers from Jerry Richardson. The team hasn’t secured a winning record since 2017 and although they did show signs of life at stages in 2020, it didn’t come with any notable change after faltering late in close contests.
The Panthers are hoping the acquisition of quarterback Sam Darnold from the New York Jets can change all that. He’ll need to turn things around pretty drastically judging by what we’ve seen from the player during his three-year career, but a change in environment and prolific weapons in the passing game can only serve him well during his potential road to redemption.
Others will also be counted upon to make some real strides. Here are four Panthers players who could potentially become breakout stars in 2021.
Player No. 1
Yetur Gross-Matos – Carolina Panthers DE
Yetur Gross will probably look back on his first season in Carolina with a case of what might have been. The Penn State product showed a tremendous amount of promise at certain stages of the campaign. But a spell on the COVID-19 list, a concussion, and injury restricted his contribution significantly.
Hopefully, a smoother offseason period for all will ensure Gross-Matos hits the ground running in 2021. His explosiveness and power could be a real asset to a defensive front that should become an area of strength, with the additions of Morgan Fox, Haason Reddick, and DaQuan Jones set to free up even more space to work in.
Providing Gross-Matos has worked hard on developing his craft in recent months, there is a lot to like about his chances of securing a substantial increase in numbers next time around.