LaBryan Ray - Carolina Panthers DL
The Carolina Panthers have made a concerted effort to go younger across the board this season. Doing that on the defensive line should be the next part of Dan Morgan and Dave Canales' plans for long-term stability.
We finally saw the long-awaited NFL debut of sixth-round pick Jaden Crumedy at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. The former Mississippi State standout played just eight snaps but notched his first NFL tackle. This was a big boost to the lineman after such a frustrating start to his professional journey.
With the Panthers losing Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown for the season in the first game of the campaign, things were expected to be rough. While LaBryan Ray has been fine in filling, he simply cannot be expected to replicate the production of the 2020 first-round pick.
Crumedy getting more reps over Carolina's final four contests should be a priority for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Especially considering the Panthers aren't playing for anything other than pride down the stretch.
Seeing if the Crumedy can be a viable part of the rotation is something the Panthers need to find out as part of their ongoing assessments. An expanded role will likely come at the expense of Ray, who played just under half of the defensive snaps at Lincoln Financial Field as the Panthers gave up 209 rushing yards to the Eagles and NFL MVP candidate Saquon Barkley.
Even if Crumedy flashes as the season comes to a close, this must not deter the Panthers from making the defensive line a priority this offseason. But there's nothing to suggest he cannot be a dependable part of the rotation with additional refinement and experience.
Michigan stud Mason Graham is a name to watch this offseason following his declaration for the draft. His representatives are expecting the game-wrecker to be taken in the top five. That's where the Panthers just so happen to reside right now.