5 players the Carolina Panthers cannot live without in 2022
By Dean Jones
Which important Carolina Panthers players can the team not live without as they look to make big-time improvements during the 2022 season?
Although it’s been a positive offseason overall for the Carolina Panthers, their hopes for progress are hanging by a thread in 2022. There are still some questions surrounding linebacker depth, the ability of the tight ends to become more influential in Ben McAdoo’s scheme, and the obvious cloud hanging over the quarterback spot despite the team trading up to daft Matt Corral at No. 94 overall.
Matt Rhule can not afford the same sorry state of affairs that occurred after the Panthers got off to a blistering 3-0 start in 2021. But at least on paper, the roster doesn’t appear that far away from making waves if everything goes well right out of the gate.
The Panthers have a real sense of urgency next season. And they will undoubtedly need everyone fit and firing on all cylinders throughout the campaign.
That is obviously unlikely in the brutal world of the NFL. But here are five Panthers players the team simply cannot live without in 2022.
Player No. 1
87. . OT. Carolina Panthers. IKEM EKWONU. 1. player
Ikem Ekwonu – Carolina Panthers OT
It’s taken a long time for the Carolina Panthers to find themselves a franchise left tackle. Something they finally managed to secure when fortune struck and Ikem Ekwonu fell into their laps at No. 6 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Ekwonu has the potential to be an instant difference-maker for the Panthers. A tone-setter with a mentality that’s been sorely missing on the blindside in Carolina for almost a decade.
Should the worst happen and Ekwonu missed time at any stage next season, it would be nothing short of a disaster. Especially considering the poor level of production from others manning the left tackle position last season.