3 severe overreactions from the Carolina Panthers' 2024 offseason
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers OL dominance
Dan Morgan couldn't afford to ignore the critical need along the offensive line during his first offseason as general manager. The Carolina Panthers went through untold complications in this area of the field last season. Nobody suffered more than rookie quarterback Bryce Young and it was a miracle he came through relatively unscathed.
Morgan moved swiftly to ensure this problem became a thing of the past. The Panthers invested heavily in the interior, signing Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis for their new starting offensive guard tandem. This has the scope to change everything if both stay clear of injuries.
These marquee additions come with increased hope. Some fans believe the Panthers' protection in front of Young can go from a weakness to a real strength. Others anticipate this new-look group could propel themselves into one of the league's best if everyone responds positively to Dave Canales' enhanced blocking concepts.
That's ambitious, to put it mildly. The Panthers need to walk before they can run. Three major factors could hold them back when push comes to shove.
Austin Corbett's switch to the center position is a big gamble. The veteran spent most of his career as a right guard, so it's a significant change in responsibilities. He's never won an anchor role outright despite getting opportunities previously. He's also coming off two successive knee injuries, although the former Nevada star looks fit and raring to go based on what we've seen over early offseason workouts.
The Panthers have one specialist center under contract currently - undrafted free agent Andrew Raym. Brady Christensen's been getting backup reps, but this only magnifies the lack of genuine depth available unless some of Carolina's young players make strides.
Then, there's Ikem Ekwonu.
The left tackle became complacent last season and suffered some grave consequences. Those in power remain confident he can bounce back with renewed purpose and in a scheme more devised to his strengths. But the jury is still out.
It would be shocking if the protection didn't show signs of life. Expecting them to be a top-10 unit league-wide is a reach until proven otherwise.