4 changes the Carolina Panthers' coaching staff must consider in Week 4
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers should start Brady Christensen
Despite what national media outlets would tell you in the wake of quarterback Bryce Young getting benched after just two weeks, the Carolina Panthers offensive line has been stellar this season. One look at the stats tells you as much.
Andy Dalton was regularly throwing from clean pockets at the Las Vegas Raiders and his performance reflected this. The significant investment made on the interior by general manager Dan Morgan this offseason is paying off immediately.
However, one downer to come from Carolina's opening win was the injury to left guard Damien Lewis, who suffered a UCL injury. While the complication is not expected to be serious, the former Seattle Seahawks star is expected to miss the upcoming clash with the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium.
In the wake of Lewis' injury, head coach Dave Canales hinted that Chandler Zavala could be in line to start his first game of the campaign. The fourth-round pick in 2023 was heralded by many as the long-term fit at left guard, but the former North Carolina State standout had a rookie season to forget,
A 26.2 grade from Pro Football Focus represented a disastrous campaign. Many Panthers fans will remember the Week 3 matchup in Seattle where Zavala allowed a gruesome 14 pressures alone. However, the coaching staff trusts the second-year man, giving him the nod ahead of Brady Christensen.
The BYU product is regarded by some fans as one of the more underrated players on the Panthers roster. That's not an opinion shared by the new regime, who've demoted him to a versatile backup after his season-ending torn bicep suffered in Week 1 of the 2022 season.
Christensen is a career offensive tackle who made the switch to guard in 2022. While not an elite-level player at the position, he was more than capable.
It seems odd the coaching staff would go with a less experienced player who has performed at a much lower level than Christensen. But they obviously see something we don't.