Panthers News: Thomas Davis, Jeremy Chinn, Bryce Young and LB group
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as fans still marvel over episode one of The Blueprint docuseries?
We are officially in the lull between early off-season workouts and training camp. This is a tedious period for many, but the Carolina Panthers are taking stock and getting their bodies prepared for what should be a fascinating few weeks at Wofford College in Spartanburg.
Until then, there is plenty to keep fans entertained. Among the stories generating column inches recently include Bryce Young's progression, Jeremy Chinn's impressive offseason, Carolina's linebacking corps ranked, and Thomas Davis Sr. on assisting with the standard.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers LB corps ranked
It's all changed among the Carolina Panthers linebacking corps heading into the 2023 campaign. There haven't been many additions in terms of personnel, but Ejiro Evero's switch to a 3-4 base system means new roles and a challenging adjustment.
When ranking Carolina's linebackers among their league counterparts, Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus ranked them middle of the pack at No. 16. This was down to their lack of coverage prowess in the passing game that doesn't match the outstanding run-stopping they brought to the table last time around.
"The Panthers' linebacking corps is a Jekyll-and-Hyde situation. On the one hand, they posted the third-best run-defense grade in football and finished the regular season with a league-best 159 defensive stops. On the other, their 53.0 coverage grade ranked 22nd in the NFL, and they allowed the second-most touchdowns (8) into their coverage in the regular season. [Shaq] Thompson and [Frankie] Luvu are good players, but there isn’t anyone on the Panthers’ roster who profiles as a good coverage linebacker. That caps the ceiling on this unit’s potential."
- Dalton Wesserman, Pro Football Focus
Just how much this means considering how different Carolina's second level on defense promises to be is anyone's guess. But with Evero leading the charge, there are reasons for optimism.