Ranking the top 10 Carolina Panthers players on the 2024 roster

2. Taylor Moton - Carolina Panthers OT

Once again, Taylor Moton is slotted as the second-best player on the Carolina Panthers' active roster. This shouldn’t be a shock to anyone considering the consistency produced since becoming the team’s starter at right tackle in 2018.

If the Panthers were to have a winning season resulting in a playoff berth, no one would be more deserving of being in the playoffs than Carolina’s Mr. Consistent.

Moton may never be an elite right tackle. He has low moments like any above-average player in his position. He’ll overset in his pass sets at times, lean into his blocks and lose balance, and allow defenders to get into his chest to generate pressures.

However, it's hard to ignore this statistic. In 2023, Moton allowed just one sack and no quarterback hits. 

This shows an offensive tackle with great recovery skills and flexibility in his hips to re-anchor. Moton has showcased this numerous times as a player. It also provides terrific blocking scheme versatility.

The former 2017 second-round selection from Western Michigan is due for a Pro Bowl selection. Moton has been a bright spot for a Panthers organization that has not seen too much success on the offensive side of the ball in recent years. He is a cornerstone piece on the roster.

1. Derrick Brown - Carolina Panthers DL

There are not many players in the NFL like Derrick Brown. That is one of the big reasons why he is without a doubt the best player on the Carolina Panthers roster.

Defensive linemen who stand at least 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds aren’t supposed to move in space at the line of scrimmage as Brown does. Nor do they display the flexibility and cornering ability.

The amount of power the former No. 7 overall selection in 2020 amasses in his hands is uncanny and scary. Take a look at the play below as Brown brings incredible pop and stack-shed prowess against future Pro Football Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin.

Last season, Brown earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl following a historic year in which he racked up 103 tackles, the most by any defensive tackle in league history. His run-game prowess helped him get to this point as he displayed incredible one-gap and two-gap consistency.

His discipline, football IQ, power, rare explosiveness relative to his size, and a growing yet diverse pass-rush skill set make him one of the better 3-4 base five techniques in the league.

Some fans may be hesitant of Brown due to the lack of sack production. However, he is one of the better defensive linemen in the league in generating pressure using timing off the snap, power, and overwhelming size.

There are plenty of examples where the former Auburn Tiger is a beneficiary in helping produce takeaways for the defense. There is hope that his sack numbers increase in 2024, though this shouldn’t take away from the type of player Brown is.

Brown secured a four-year, $96 million contract extension averaging $24 million annually. This was a well-deserved deal for one of the better defensive tackles in the league.

He’s established himself as the current face of the franchise and is the main cornerstone piece to their defense.