Panthers News: Cam Erving, Bryce Young, stadium rights and Chandler Zavala
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers re-sign Cam Erving
The Carolina Panthers got themselves some offensive line depth via the 2023 NFL Draft in the form of Chandler Zavala. However, those in power felt more was needed with offseason workouts set to ramp up in the coming weeks.
As it turned out, the Panthers turned back to a familiar player to solve this issue. The team confirmed they'd re-signed veteran Cam Erving to a one-year contract on Monday evening, which is a prospect most didn't see coming after an indifferent first campaign with the organization in 2021.
While Erving was never cut out to be the team's long-term left tackle, his role last season was an important one. The former first-round pick became a backup tasked with mentoring and motivating - which is something that drew significant praise from coaches and teammates alike.
This didn't go unnoticed by Carolina's new regime, who'll be looking for something similar from Erving during the preparation period and when the real action arrives. And there are far worse avenues the Panthers could have gone down based on his underrated impact in 2022.
Not many anticipated Erving to get an extended stay, so this speaks volumes about the player's ability to lead and adjust to differing circumstances. In addition, it never hurts to have another cheerleader that commands respect within the locker room.