Reviewing 5 bold Carolina Panthers predicitons before the 2021 season
By Luke Gray
Brady Christensen and Deonte Brown will end the year as Carolina Panthers starters
- Result – 50% correct
In reality, this should have been fully correct. But that is more down to the incompetency of this coaching staff than anything. Brady Christensen ended the season as the Carolina Panthers starting left tackle, but the 2021 season also saw the former BYU stud line up at guard.
Considering fact that starter Cam Erving performed so poorly protecting the blindside, it’s a real mystery it took until Week 16 for Christensen to get an extended run in the team. Despite the limited opportunity to showcase his skills in the correct position, the Utah native showed enough flashes at the position to at least give the Panthers an option moving into 2022.
This means Carolina can explore other options in the upcoming draft. Alabama’s stud tackle Evan Neal should be off the board by the time the Panthers pick at No. 6, meaning they could look elsewhere at prospects such as Tyler Linderbaum, Kyle Hamilton, Charles Cross, or perhaps even Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett.
It was an even more tumultuous season for sixth-round pick Deonte Brown. Despite not giving up a sack in college, the interior lineman came into the league with some concerns about his weight.
At the 2021 Senior Bowl, Brown weighed in at 364 pounds, but he was reported to be around the 335-pound range at the end of his rookie year.
Prior to the matchup at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown had played just one single offensive snap on the year. However, in the season finale, he logged 29 snaps at right guard.
With veteran John Miller inactive for the final game and likely to not return in 2022, this gives Brown the opportunity to cement a position on this potentially revamped offensive line.