4 Carolina Panthers players who cannot afford to regress in 2023
By Dean Jones
Brady Christensen - Carolina Panthers OL
One of the brightest elements to emerge from the 2022 campaign was the improved production across the offensive line. James Campen worked his magic on the unit, who remained relatively healthy and came up with a level of consistency that was sorely lacking in previous years.
There were some concerns about whether Brady Christensen could successfully transition to the interior after spending his college career blocking on the edge. Any fears were alleviated early on, with the former third-round pick performing well and forming a productive left-sided partnership with No. 6 overall selection Ikem Ekwonu.
This was encouraging for Christensen, but no more than that. And the lineman is in no position to become complacent with others also looking for an opportunity.
Christensen is recovering well from a serious injury suffered in Week 18 against the New Orleans Saints. He looks set to start at the left guard position once again and could develop further with another offseason under his belt, but the Panthers have plenty of options if the player regresses for whatever reason.
The presence of Chandler Zavala, Cade Mays, Michael Jordan, and Justin McCray should be enough for Christensen to stay focused. With Campen also agreeing to stick around under the new coaching regime, it's hard to envisage a scenario where the BYU product doesn't come on again this summer.