5 Panthers players with emerging importance after free-agent moves

Yetur Gross-Matos – Carolina Panthers DL

The Carolina Panthers made some tough decisions regarding their defensive line options both before and during free agency. Haason Reddick is gone, DaQuan Jones signed for the Buffalo Bills early in the process, and the team made Morgan Fox a salary-cap casualty after just one season with the franchise.

This means there is a significant opportunity awaiting Yetur Gross-Matos in 2022. The former second-round pick flashed real promise last season after a frustrating rookie campaign due to injury and COVID-19, so Year 3 is when we might see the best of the Penn State product providing further improvements are made this offseason.

Gross-Matos has proven more than capable of disrupting proceedings either from the edge or as a three-technique on the interior. This is the sort of versatility that Carolina’s coaching staff loves, so it’s likely that the player will be utilized in a similar fashion with reps increasing throughout the new campaign.

There is little doubt Gross-Matos has the skills to make a big difference and replicate the production lost by releasing Fox. However, the next step for the lineman is producing the goods from a starting role rather than taking advantage of tired opposition as part of the rotation.

If he can do this effectively, then the Panthers have themselves a real player on their hands. One that could outplay his rookie deal in no time at all.