What exactly do the Carolina Panthers have at OT in 2021?
By Dean Jones
What exactly do the Carolina Panthers have at offensive tackle heading into a pivotal 2021 season for the franchise?
The Carolina Panthers made plenty of adjustments to their roster this offseason in pursuit of taking a big leap forward in 2021. They do have some extremely talented individuals to call upon across virtually every positional group, with a weakening NFC South and some winnable early games only enhancing their chances of making a real splash next time around.
Obviously, the Panthers will only go as far as new quarterback Sam Darnold takes them. The quarterback was acquired from the New York Jets in a move that eventually saw Teddy Bridgewater moved to the Denver Broncos, so Carolina has to do everything in their power to ensure the signal-caller finally starts reaching his potential.
One of the biggest ways they can do this is by keeping him upright.
The offensive line crumbled in pass protection at key stages of the previous campaign more often than not. If the same happens in 2021, it’s going to hamper Darnold’s chances immensely.
It all starts on the edge with their offensive tackles. Carolina opted not to bring back Pro Bowler Russell Okung after the Super Bowl winner appeared in just seven games due to injury, but just who is going to replace him is unclear at this juncture.
With this in mind, we took a deep dive into exactly what the Panthers have at offensive tackle in 2021.