5 Carolina Panthers players who desperately need to develop in 2022

Which Carolina Panthers players desperately need to develop during what’s going to be a franchise-altering 2022 season?

Although attention is quickly turning to free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft, those already on the Carolina Panthers roster will be aiming to make some significant improvements to their game before OTAs and training camp. The stakes are high for the players as well as the coaching staff after a third-straight season with just five wins to celebrate, which piles the pressure on in no uncertain terms as they look to get themselves among the playoff hopefuls next time around.

That will not be an easy feat. to put it mildly. The Panthers have $18.98 million in cap space currently and no second or third-round pick to speak of, even though this might be subject to change once some difficult decisions are undoubtedly made sooner rather than later.

There is no margin for error. And the Panthers need every single player on the team to pull their weight and show the necessary commitment in pursuit of making a more lasting contribution.

With this in mind, here are five Carolina players that desperately need to develop in 2022.

Player No. 1

Deonte Brown – Carolina Panthers OG

There was a cautious sense of excitement when the Carolina Panthers selected Deonte Brown in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The dominant interior lineman enjoyed a phenomenal college career at Alabama and providing his weight concerns were kept in check, this had all the makings of a potential steal in the lower rounds.

Sadly, this didn’t prove to be the case. Brown’s weight was a constant issue throughout the campaign and although the guard spots showed little in the way of consistency, the coaching staff was extremely reluctant to get the rookie involved.

Brown did see some action in Carolina’s season finale at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But few would deny there isn’t an increased sense of urgency where the player’s development is concerned.