5 Carolina Panthers players who could be full-time starters by 2022

Which Carolina Panthers players could be full-time starters by the 2022 season providing they make the necessary strides?

There is an abundance of young talent on the Carolina Panthers following a complete shift in direction after Matt Rhule took over as head coach. This was further bolstered by the appointment of new general manager Scott Fitterer from the Seattle Seahawks, who’s already lived up to his reputation as a strong evaluator with a keen eye for late-round gems.

Obviously, seeing how these young players get on during an important 2021 campaign for the Panthers will tell us plenty about what the team’s long-term prospects might be.

Carolina has a solid veteran core – which was needed after a wealth of high-profile departures such as Greg Olsen and Cam Newton. Those individuals with less NFL nous will also be tasked with carving out roles for themselves with a view to potentially securing starting jobs either as the season progresses or in the coming years.

With this in mind, here are five Panthers players who could end up being full-time starters in 2022 if everything goes as expected.

Player No. 1

Sam Tecklenburg – Carolina Panthers C

The Panthers see something in Sam Tecklenburg. He is a Matt Rhule guy from their time together at Baylor and spent the majority of his rookie year on Carolina’s practice squad in pursuit of making further strides this time around.

With Tyler Larsen no longer around, the Panthers are looking for an understudy to Matt Paradis at the center position. Although a veteran like Pat Elflein could fill this spot in 2021, there might be an opportunity for Tecklenburg to become a prominent starter with another year of experience under his belt.

This is a bold prediction for someone that has yet to play a competitive snap at the next level. But this becomes more realistic when one considers Paradis is out of contract next spring.