Panthers depth chart focus: Is there enough at DE in 2022?
By Dean Jones
Do the Carolina Panthers have enough at the defensive end position heading into a monumental 2022 season for the organization?
Considering how much player turnover the Carolina Panthers went through this offseason, it was a surprise to now see little change at the defensive end position. This is a significant gamble by the organization after they decided to let Haason Reddick leave in free agency after a fantastic season with the franchise that resulted in 11 sacks.
The Panthers clearly feel happy with what they have.
For now, at least.
Generating pressure consistently was a problem for the Panthers before Reddick came on board. If the same complications emerge in 2022, then it will put a significant dent in any hope of progressing encouragingly during a critical season for head coach Matt Rhule.
With this in mind, we took an in-depth look at what the Panthers have at the defensive end position in the latest edition of our pre-training camp depth chart focus.
The Rookie Project
Amare Barno – Carolina Panthers DE/OLB
The Carolina Panthers managed to get themselves an intriguing development project that can be developed into a productive performer late in the 2022 NFL Draft. Amare Barno is still a little rough around the edges, but the prospect possesses high athletic traits that the front office seeks heavily in almost every new recruit coming on board from the college level.
Barno has the explosiveness to make things happen. However, his pass-rushing moves need refinement and the Virginia Tech product also needs to bulk up before coming up against formidable offensive linemen at the next level.
Using Barno as a special teams piece while he gets other areas of his game up to speed would be wise. Hopefully, the rookie can adjust quickly and earn prominent reps on the rotation as the campaign goes on.