Ranking the top 10 Carolina Panthers players on the active roster in 2023

Who are the ten best players on the Carolina Panthers active roster entering the first season under new head coach Frank Reich in 2023?

A lot has changed for the Carolina Panthers in the last year. Especially when it pertains to their overall roster construction.

The franchise has an upgraded coaching staff and a new-look roster that is looking to compete for a division title - they certainly have the talent to do so. However, it's important to understand what looks good on paper doesn't always translate during the season.

When looking over Carolina's roster, it's an interesting build. There's a lot of versatility on the defensive side of the ball, one that offers stronghold talents at all three levels of the unit.

The scheme is new, in part to the arrival of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and this will be a defense that places an emphasis on stopping the run while also offering the explosiveness to tee off on the quarterback.

Offensively, this is a group that has the offensive line to protect Bryce Young consistently while providing a punch in the run game to create rushing lanes for running backs Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard.

It seems likely that this will be a run-first team initially, but don't let the loss of D.J. Moore fool you. They have adequate wide receivers that shouldn't hold Young back in the passing game, plus two young studs in Terrace Marshall Jr. and rookie Jonathan Mingo that will work for playing time throughout the season.

Now, it's time to see who the best players are on this team. I have listed out 10, including two honorable mentions, that I view as formidable to elite starters and are important pieces to the roster and their respective side of the ball.

Please note that rookies, including Young and Mingo, are not included in this list. They haven't played a snap in the NFL and it wouldn't be fair to them or the proven talents to include them on this list.

Without further ado, here are the ten best players on the Panthers roster.

Honorable Carolina Panthers mentions

Eddy Pineiro - Carolina Panthers K

Eddy Pineiro had his bad moment in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons, a game I was in attendance for, missing two kicks that would've been game-winners for the Carolina Panthers. It was after this game that he went a perfect 19/19 on his field goals and converted just under 95 percent of extra points.

In all, the former Chicago Bear and New York Jet went 30/32 in XPs and 33/35 in FGs, earning a contract extension in the process and keeping his starting job over Zane Gonzalez, who was traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

Pineiro will have a big role on the team this year and will look to match his 2022 campaign. In the process, becoming one of the better kickers in the NFL.

Vonn Bell - Carolina Panthers S

Vonn Bell made a big impact on the Cincinnati Bengals during his three seasons there. He and new Falcons safety Jessie Bates III were a formidable duo on the backend of a very solid defensive unit that helped their team to a Super Bowl runner-up and two AFC Championship appearances.

The Carolina Panthers have themselves a safety that has improved in coverage over the course of the last three years, allowing him to be a versatile player in Ejiro Evero's multiple defensive alignments.

Bell racked up four interceptions, showcasing his value on the backend. He's also a heavy, yet disciplined hitter and tackler in the run game - something the team missed last season.

Bell makes the secondary better and should be one of the Scott Fitterer's best signings.

Bradley Bozeman - Carolina Panthers C

Bradley Bozeman was a key addition for the Panthers last season and became the anchor on the offensive line, earning himself a three-year extension.

It was tough to keep an impactful player like Bozeman out of the top 10 best Panthers on the active roster. He finished inside the top 10 in pass block win rate among centers in the NFL, and it showed last season.

The former Alabama Crimson Tide star has a stout anchor and lots of power in the upper and lower half. He will toss you aside and look for work in pass protection and then will flatten you in the run game.

Bozeman isn't as athletic as some of the better centers in the league. But without him, the Panthers wouldn't have been as cohesive of a unit upfront as they were.

No. 10: Shaq Thompson - Carolina Panthers LB

One of the only remaining players from the Carolina Panthers Super Bowl run in 2015, Shaq Thompson has been a captain and the leader of the defense since Luke Kuechly's sudden retirement four years ago.

Entering his age-29 season, Thompson has also been one of the most critiqued players on the roster thanks in part to his previous contract situation and if he could ever become the player Kuechly was.

Breaking news at this hour: no one can replace Kuechly. However, Thompson has done as good of a job as you could hope for and has certainly become a true focal point in the middle of the defense.

The former first-round pick from the University of Washington has tallied four straight 100 tackle seasons, including a career-high 135 last time round. If anything, Thompson is aging like fine wine and only getting better.

I know fans would like to see a youth movement takeover at the MIKE spot, but Thompson has done as good of a job as anyone. He's been a consistent tackler with good discipline against the run and his coverage ability has been nothing but steady over the last few years.

If the Panthers become a top-10 unit under Ejiro Evero this season, Thompson will be a crucial part of that. I'm excited to see how he does with his new defensive coordinator.

No. 9: Austin Corbett - Carolina Panthers OL

The ninth player on this list is one of the bigger reasons why the Carolina Panthers offensive line has turned into a strength within a year.

Austin Corbett is a former second-round pick out of Nevada that has developed into one of the most underrated guards in the NFL. After a short stint with the Cleveland Browns, he went on to become an anchor of the Los Angeles Rams offensive line that helped Sean McVay's men win a Super Bowl.

The two-time teammate of Baker Mayfield continued to be a force along Carolina's front five. As seen above, Corbett offers a mauler mentality as a pass protector and run blocker. Once his hands latch onto the chest plate of the defender, they're along for the ride.

He's not the most athletic guard in the world, but Corbett offers good hand technique and footwork that allows him to win his matchups consistently. The interior lineman is also a stout blocker in the run game, displaying great leg drive and power, one of the bigger reasons why he was ranked in the top 10 in run block win rate last season.

Corbett is expected to miss a decent chunk of the 2023 season due to an ACL tear suffered in last season's finale at the New Orleans Saints. When he returns fully healthy, he will provide a big boost to the offensive line.

No. 8: Jeremy Chinn - Carolina Panthers DB/LB

You might be wondering why I don't have Jeremy Chinn doesn't have a specific position listed in these rankings. That's because his spot in Ejiro Evero's defense has yet to be determined.

Chinn is entering a big year, a contract year to be exact. He's been a quality starter for the Carolina Panthers defense for the last three seasons, but he has yet to prove whether or not he's a franchise cornerstone.

The former FCS star safety racked up over 100 tackles in his first two seasons and would've been on pace for a third had he not missed six games due to a hamstring injury in 2022. While it's evident he's a tackling machine, Chinn's production in coverage has been less than ideal with with just two career interceptions and 16 passes defended.

Chinn's calling card has never been as a pass defender. I hope that will change in some aspect because I do like the instances he showed in man coverage against tight ends and receivers. He certainly has the athletic ability and fluidity to be consistent in this area.

The former second-round pick is a physical tackler in space and has shown to take on blockers well in the trenches. Chinn is still an important piece of Carolina's defense due to the various positions he can play. If there is a coach that can figure out where he fits, it's Evero.

Wherever he plays, whether that's free safety, in the box, WILL linebacker, or STAR (big nickel), he should have a big impact.

No. 7: Frankie Luvu - Carolina Panthers LB

No player outside of Brian Burns made more money last season than linebacker Frankie Luvu.

After being nothing more than a rotational piece in the New York Jets linebacker corps, Luvu signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2021 with the hopes of having an expanded role. That is exactly what he got, breaking out in a big way last season.

The former Washington State player became one of the key pieces of a talented Panthers defense last season, tailing 111 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. Luvu made it known that he is a force around the line of scrimmage and showed his value by dropping into hook/curls coverages and the middle of the field.

Luvu is a terrific athlete with a great range to attack and track down ball carriers to the sideline. He offers the versatility to disguise as a mugger in the A-gap, play stack linebacker from time to time, and even in man coverage against opposing tight ends. His explosiveness causes opposing linemen to overset, allowing him to pursue quarterbacks at will.

The biggest flaw in his game is taking on blockers head-on and playing strength against the run. There were times when Luvu was easily washed out, especially against teams running zone and stretch plays.

Overall, Luvu will be a critical part of Ejiro Evero's defense this season. With another strong performance, the sixth-year pro will be in for a big payday next offseason.

No. 6: Johnny Hekker - Carolina Panthers P

Hidden from some of the offseason signings from last season was the acquisition of former long-time Los Angeles Rams punter, Johnny Hekker.

I can't emphasize enough how important a punter is to your football team. When you have someone that can flip the field, down punts inside the 20 at a consistent rate, and keep kicks hanging as long as possible, that is a great advantage to have.

Hekker, entering his age-33 season, can still do all of this very well and has shown no signs of decline. The former Super Bowl champion led the NFL in punts downed inside the 20, and was either in the top five or 10 of almost every punting statistic, per Pro Football Reference.

Not only that, Hekker has become a leader within the Carolina Panthers locker room in the short time he has been with the organization. That right there says a lot about the type of player and teammate the veteran is.

Having Eddy Pineiro and Hekker as your kicker and punter will lead to a consistent special teams unit, one that showed great improvement last season under Chris Tabor. This should continue in 2023.

No. 5: Ikem Ekwonu - Carolina Panthers OT

When I slotted Ikem Ekwonu here, it somehow finally came to me: the Carolina Panthers finally have a franchise left tackle after all of these years. Not since Jordan Gross has the franchise had a consistent blindside presence, and they negated to address the position until this past season.

Is it bold of me to list Ekwonu as one of the five best players on the roster? Probably.

However, what he showed in the final 14 games was nothing short of great football play.

Ekwonu got a lot of heat early in the season from fans after struggling against Myles Garrett, arguably the best pass rusher in America. Even so, he kept pushing ahead and became a lot more consistent in pass protection as the year went on.

Sure, the No. 6 overall selection in 2022 sometimes had issues with hand placement and hitting his landmarks in pass sets. Ekwonu struggled with penalties throughout the season, which was to be expected from a rookie offensive lineman. Even so, the positives outweighed the negatives.

Ekwonu did well by dominating opposing pass rushers for stretches at a time. He's an absolute mauler in all phases, playing with ruthless aggression at the point of attack, displaying a strong anchor, and becoming a brick wall once he latched onto his man.

The former North Carolina State star is extremely talented and will soon submit himself as the cornerstone left tackle for the Panthers, protecting Bryce Young for what we hope is the next 10-plus years.

No. 4: Derrick Brown - Carolina Panthers DL

One of the biggest reasons why you should be excited about Ejiro Evero's defense is the man who broke out in a big way last season. That, of course, is Derrick Brown.

When the Carolina Panthers drafted Brown out of Auburn in the 2020 NFL Draft, it was with the idea he could develop into one of the best nose tackles or interior defensive players in the league. During his first two campaigns, he struggled with consistency as a pass rusher and run defender overall as some fans began to call him a bust.

This is why you give first-round selections at least three years before judging their former draft status.

Brown became a force for Carolina. While the numbers weren't exactly ideal to the level you would expect from a top-10 defensive tackle, he certainly became one of the best noses in football.

The former Tiger dominates the line of scrimmage with raw power, explosiveness, and rare quickness for a 6-foot-5, 320-pound interior lineman. He will push the pocket and opposing linemen into the lap of the QB and Brown does a great job one and two-gapping, displaying the rapid movement to make plays behind the line.

I expect Brown to take a step forward in production. Even if he doesn't, his current play makes him one of the more feared young interior defensive linemen in the league.

I think Brown will enjoy his time playing under Evero. This should further exploit his pass-rush arsenal that has flashed over the last few seasons.

No. 3: Jaycee Horn - Carolina Panthers CB

The third-ranked player on this list is one that has been discussed for the wrong reasons, though his talent is out-of-this-world.

Sure, we can continue to discuss hypotheticals and "what-ifs" around the 2021 NFL Draft as it pertains to the conversation around whether the Carolina Panthers should've drafted Justin Fields over Jaycee Horn. It's a conversation, though, that seems very redundant following the selection of Bryce Young this offseason.

Either way, Horn is a star in the making. He has a chance this year to prove himself as a healthy player who could emerge as one of the five best players at his position overall with fellow draftmate, Patrick Surtain II.

Horn is a special player. He's physical when need be and disciplined at almost all times, displaying clean footwork and well-timed punches in press coverage. His ball skills are terrific, turning into a wide receiver once the ball is in the air and heading into his vicinity.

However, the biggest knack for the former Gamecock has been health. He has never played a full season and ended the 2022 campaign on injured/reserve with a broken hand. Horn has also dealt with ankle, foot, and rib injuries that have held him out of games.

This will be a big season for No. 8. The talent is all there - he has shown it consistently when healthy and when on the field. All Horn needs to do this year is stay fit.

If he can do that, this is an untradeable player no matter what.

No. 2: Taylor Moton - Carolina Panthers OT

When making this list, Taylor Moton was my easy No. 2 player. That might come as a shock to some, but he has been the most consistent performer on the roster since he made his debut as a starter in 2018.

Moton was a former second-round selection out of Western Michigan in 2017 and spent time as a depth player during his rookie campaign. Since his sophomore season, he has been one of the league's most underrated offensive tackles and has been paid handsomely for it.

Does Moton have his moments? Yes, just like any really good tackle in the NFL does.

He has shown to overset in pass protection and lose balance from time to time. But these particular instances are few and far between for someone who's been a model professional throughout his time in Carolina.

Overall, Moton is a cornerstone within the organization. He always plays with good technique, is a superb anchor, and hits his landmarks consistently in the run game.

Entering his age-29 season, Moton will continue to be a steady presence along the offensive line and Bryce Young's newest best friend in the trenches.

No. 1: Brian Burns - Carolina Panthers OLB

The top player in the Carolina Panthers organization is none other than cornerstone pass rusher Brian Burns.

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way: Burns is not going to be traded anytime soon. He's due for a contract extension where he might get north of $20 million per year, and Carolina was right not to deal him around the deadline last fall.

He's the best player on the team, period.

Burns can do it all. He tees off from the line of scrimmage and can win with an outstanding bend, an elite first step, and the explosiveness to cause even the best offensive tackles to overset in pass protection and become overwhelmed by the speed and quickness - one of the bigger reasons he had 12 sacks last season.

The former 2019 first-round pick has also added the ability to defend the run, racking up 17 tackles for loss, displaying added power and overall play strength. Burns also has the athleticism to drop as a hook or flat defender in certain situations.

What makes things scarier is that Burns is a perfect fit for Ejiro Evero's defense. He will look to produce another 10-plus sack season to show why he's the best player on the roster, no matter what Bryce Young does this season.

I'm excited about what's to come for No. 0.