7 free-agent interior offensive linemen the Panthers should consider in 2022

Carolina Panthers should target Trai Turner

Another former member of the Carolina Panthers that the team could reach out to this spring is Trai Turner. The Panthers drafted the guard in 2014 and he spent the first six years of his career with the team. He was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers shortly after Matt Rhule was hired, and was released following the 2020 campaign.

Turner signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, starting all 17 games while playing on a team-friendly deal. The Panthers clearly made a huge mistake in letting the five-time Pro-Bowler leave, but now is their chance to make it right.

The former third-round selection would no doubt offer a huge upgrade over any other option on the current roster. Turner could welcome a homecoming just as much as the Panthers would.

Health was a bit of an issue during his one-year Chargers tenure, but he has played in at least 13 games in every other season of his NFL career. Turner is still a very good guard when he is on the field and has experience playing on the right side with Taylor Moton.

That chemistry alone could help what is currently a putrid offensive line.

Turner won’t be 29 years old until June, so he presumably still has several good years of football left in him. However, whether or not he wants to come back and play for a coach who traded him remains to be seen.

His trade was a bit unexpected and didn’t make much sense at the time. In hindsight, it really doesn’t. The Panthers were able to make amends with Cam Newton though, so maybe they can with Turner as well.

He won’t command the mega-contract that he did back in 2017, so financially it makes sense to bring back the former Panthers star. Turner could be the best bang-for-your-buck interior offensive lineman on the market, and goodness knows Carolina could use his services.