7 free-agent interior offensive linemen the Panthers should consider in 2022
By Luke Tucker
Carolina Panthers should target Brandon Scherff
One of the biggest-name guards on the market this offseason is Brandon Scherff, who has spent his entire seven-year career with the Washington Commanders. The former top-five draft pick was named to his fifth Pro Bowl in 2021, and at 30 years old, still probably has a few years of elite play left in him.
Because of his age, the Carolina Panthers likely wouldn’t want to give Scherff more than a two or three-year contract. One thing the Washington organization hasn’t done for their star guard, though, is to give him a multi-year deal.
The Commanders picked up his fifth-year option in 2019, but couldn’t reach a long-term agreement in either 2020 or 2021 when Scherff played under the franchise tag.
With that being said, the offering of a multi-year deal from anyone could entice him to leave the nation’s capital. According to Pro Football Focus, Scherff’s projected contract will be around three years at about $16.7 million per year. That’s a huge commitment, but Carolina needs to take a huge swing.
Pairing Scherff with Taylor Moton on the right side of the line would solidify that for Sam Darnold, or whoever else may be at quarterback in 2022. He has been one of the best at his position for a while now, and the veteran’s arrival would fill a huge area of need for the Panthers.