5 potential surprises to watch out for at Panthers camp in 2021
By Dean Jones
Yetur Gross-Matos will be a camp MVP candidate
There is a lot to like about the physical attributes Yetur Gross-Matos brings to the Carolina Panthers. These were demonstrated on occasions during Year 1 of his professional career and if he can enjoy a smoother ride on the injury front, there is undoubtedly plenty more to come from the 2020 second-round pick.
Gross-Matos has all the necessary explosiveness to generate pressure consistently. Although the Panthers picked up Hasson Reddick in free agency from the Arizona Cardinals, it would be a huge surprise if significant reps didn’t also come the Penn State product’s way.
Carolina’s defensive front appears to be much stronger on paper. Gross-Matos needs to carve out his own role and considering the athletic skills at his disposal, he might end up being one of the real stars to emerge from training camp.
No team can ever have enough pass-rushers. Getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks was a source of frustration over the first half of the campaign and there is every chance this might be a thing of the past if everyone makes the sort of contributions expected.
Gross-Matos is set to play a significant part in this. Just how much he’s brought on his game during the offseason is going to be one of the big things to watch over the next few weeks.