Which Carolina Panthers players must hit the ground running when the team’s offseason workouts officially begin in the coming days?
After a frenzied and eventful offseason, attention is now turning to the preparation period as the Carolina Panthers and others across the league look to put the necessary foundations in place for a successful 2022 season. A campaign that will likely decide whether head coach Matt Rhule is the right man for the job or not.
Rookie minicamp was the first piece of the puzzle and veterans have been gathering sporadically for voluntary workouts in recent weeks. Attendance has been good, which is further proof that everyone is pulling in the same direction in pursuit of the Panthers turning things around.
There is the prospect of more arrivals coming on board in the not-too-distant future. Carolina has plenty of cap space available and rumors surrounding a quarterback trade refuse to go away.
That is for the future. Here are five Panthers players who must hit the ground running during 2022 OTAs.
Player No. 1
Brady Christensen – Carolina Panthers OL
Now that the Carolina Panthers have a franchise left tackle in Ikem Ekwonu, the onus will be on Brady Christensen to make his presence felt right out of the gate to win the starting left guard position in 2022.
The Panthers have always believed in Christensen was a starter. However, there appeared to be a real reluctance to utilize him at the blindside and this was officially confirmed when Carolina made the right call to get the top player on their board with a stroke of luck.
Christensen must integrate well and make the most of starting reps when they arrive. Deonte Brown, Pat Elflein, Cam Erving, and perhaps even Cade Mays will also fancy their chances, so it will be fascinating to see how things unfold.