Panthers News: Bryce Young, Christian McCaffrey, Frankie Luvu and Frank Reich
By Dean Jones
Frankie Luvu tipped for Carolina Panthers breakout
While all the talk has been of the exciting new recruits acquired by the Carolina Panthers this offseason, those already on the books also have increased demands on their shoulders under the new regime. This bears more significance on defense, with Ejiro Evero switching to a 3-4 base scheme during what he hopes will be a final destination before becoming an NFL head coach.
One player that looks set to thrive more than most under Evero's guidance is Frankie Luvu. The second-level defender enjoyed a standout 2022 campaign - his first as a legitimate starter in Carolina - so the promise of more to come in a contract year is evident.
This is a sentiment echoed by Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus, who named Luvu as one of his primary breakouts candidates in 2023. He also predicted the former Washington State star to enter contention for the league's best at the position if everything goes well.
"Similarly to [Kayden] Elliss, 2022 was the first season Luvu played more than 500 snaps, and he managed to turn some heads with his play. His 74.8 overall grade ranked 16th among linebackers, while his 90.1 run-defense grade was good for third at his position. If Luvu manages to take a step forward in coverage in 2023, he can be among the best linebackers in the league."
- Zoltán Buday, Pro Football Focus
This is a lofty but attainable goal for Luvu. If he manages to accomplish the feat and take another leap forward, the Panthers will make him a very rich man indeed.