What are the biggest fears surrounding the Carolina Panthers during a make-or-break 2022 season for the franchise?
With training camp now underway, the Carolina Panthers are putting the right foundations in place for what will hopefully become a successful season. What transpires over the next few weeks in Spartanburg will go a long way to determining their fortunes, with plenty of question marks surrounding the organization entering Year 3 of Matt Rhule’s time as head coach.
There are plenty of positive vibes emanating from the Panthers and Rhule clearly looks fresh after dropping some weight since the NFL owners’ meetings. Putting this into a better product when it counts will be a challenge, but everyone seems to be pulling in the same direction for now.
Opinions are split within the fanbase about which way things might unfold. Not entirely unexpected considering how little they’ve had to celebrate since Carolina’s memorable run to the Super Bowl in 2015.
With this in mind, here are five big fears surrounding the Panthers in 2022.
Big Fear No. 1
Carolina Panthers OL chemistry
Strengthening the offensive line was a mission the Carolina Panthers managed to accomplish effectively this offseason. Three new starters came into the fold via free agency and the draft, with Brady Christensen also in contention for a more prominent role after being mismanaged as a rookie in 2021.
Taylor Moton remains a foundational piece and the former second-round pick now has better options around him. But developing the revamped protection into a cohesive unit ahead of the season is a stiff ask.
It might end up taking a while for everything to mesh. Something the Panthers hope doesn’t occur in the face of some impressive defenses early on the schedule.