A majority of the Carolina Panthers’ defensive tackles are young. Are they ready to take the next step during the 2022 season?
As the Carolina Panthers continue to fill out its defense with young players in the hopes of becoming elite, the defensive tackle spot has struggled to find the next ‘great’ star since Kawann Short left town.
In 2020, Carolina drafted Derrick Brown in the hopes that he would become the future. While he’s proven to be pretty good, there is still work to be done to reach a Pro Bowl level.
To have an all-around great defense, that starts in the middle. Since Brown has been in the league, the Panthers have struggled to find a reliable partner to play alongside him.
With other young guys at the position in addition to Brown, Carolina did sign Matt Ioannidis this offseason in the hopes that he will help solidify the position group. There is also still plenty of potential in the up-and-coming defensive tackles currently on the roster that can help provide plenty of depth if needed.
Of the seven interior defensive linemen on the books, everyone but Ioannidis is 25 years old or younger. Meaning youth will be key to any hopes of progress in 222.
Even with the addition of Ioannidis and the subtraction of DaQuan Jones after the veteran left for the Buffalo Bills in free agency, the position group should be improved.
With that said, here is an in-depth look at what Carolina has at defensive tackle this upcoming season.