4 knee-jerk reactions if things start poorly for the Panthers in 2021
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers adjust the offensive line
Although the Carolina Panthers have a lot going for them in certain areas, plenty of questions remain on the offensive line. Taylor Moton and Matt Paradis are the two cemented starters, but whether the remaining options can stand up and be counted is up for debate.
Keeping quarterback Sam Darnold upright is of critical importance. If the signal-caller is running for his life in a similar fashion to what he experienced on the New York Jets, there is little chance of him turning around what was supposed to be a promising career coming out of college.
This appears to be a patchwork group of journeymen who haven’t done enough in their careers, young rookies with no experience, and current roster members with big points to prove. Not exactly the most solid protection for Darnold.
If the Day 1 starters don’t reach expectations, then expect the coaching staff to adjust accordingly. Moton aside, there is a case to be made for rotation across the remaining positions, with the complications at left tackle arguably the biggest doubt remaining on this roster.
It might be a case of throwing the rookies in at the deep end and seeing how they get on. The likes of Brady Christensen and Deonte Brown come with a lot of upsides, with undrafted free-agent David Moore someone else would has a shot at making the roster.
Regardless of which way the Panthers go, they have to get this area of the field right at some stage.