Austin Corbett's future
The Carolina Panthers offensive line quickly emerged as a real success story throughout the campaign. Dan Morgan invested heavily in the protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young and it paid off handsomely. Once the signal-caller shook off the confidence issues and trusted the revamped unit, it didn't take long for things to improve.
It wasn't all good news.
The Panthers were dealt a blow when starting center Austin Corbett was ruled out for the season with a torn bicep early in the campaign. This was a significant loss when one considers how well the former second-round pick transitioned to the anchor role after spending the majority of his career at the right guard spot.
Corbett played 291 snaps, giving up one sack and one penalty. His 66.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 21st out of 64 qualifying centers. He's got plenty of talent, but there are other factors to consider before an extension arrives.
This is the third straight year where Corbett's season ended way ahead of time due to injury. The Panthers will take that into account before making a firm decision regarding the Nevada product's status in 2025.
It's also worth remembering how well Cade Mays played in Corbett's absence. Giving him another one-year, prove-it deal should be considered. At the same time, the Panthers could either move forward with Mays or find someone with fewer red flags on the health front.
Carolina Panthers' investment balance
Dan Morgan opted to transition the team's primary investments to the offensive side of things during his first offseason at the helm. The Panthers need to get a genuine evaluation of quarterback Bryce Young for good or bad. That meant fortifying the options around him and giving the No. 1 overall selection in 2023 a fighting chance of carving out a career for himself.
It took longer than expected, but Young showed signs of life over the second half of 2024. Surrounding the signal-caller with enhanced pass-catchers should be high on Morgan's list of priorities. But the investment balance must be more equal after a woeful defensive campaign.
The Panthers gave up the most points in NFL history. Their run defense under Ejiro Evero was the league's worst and the coordinator didn't have the correct personnel to adjust anything. Carolina is keeping faith, so giving the coach's options a drastic makeover is essential.
Finding the right balance is crucial. The Panthers need to bolster their available financial resources to find instant difference-makers, which is a task for salary-cap guru Brandt Tilis. Carolina also has nine draft picks at its disposal to find long-term solutions for ongoing complications.
If Morgan can get this right, the Panthers will be better off in 2025. It will also put the onus squarely on Evero to make progress.