Assessing the Panther's Offensive Needs Pre-Free Agency and Draft
Now that the coaching staff and front office are set, the focus in Carolina moves squarely to the state of the roster. Looking strictly at results from last year, the team is desperate for talent all over the place. Let's take a look at the players under contract and dissect what positions the team will look to add talent to in the coming months.
Quarterback
Bryce Young
Andy Dalton
Both quarterbacks are under contract for 2024, and it will be a shock if the team spends any noticeable capital on the quarterback position. Surely Carolina will bring in some younger, unproven players as camp arms, but it is unlikely that anybody brought in between now and August will be on the roster come September.
Running Back
Miles Sanders
Chuba Hubbard
Tarik Cohen
Spencer Brown
Mike Boone
Sanders and Hubbard are likely make an impact in 2024, but the other three players aren't guaranteed anything in the coming season.
When it comes to Sanders, it wouldn't be shocking if he was designated as a post June 1st cut. Carolina saves $2.2 million against the cap if Sanders is cut come June, but they will accrue a dead cap penalty of close to $5.5 million. What's more likely is that Sanders plays out 2024 in Carolina and he is released or restructured next offseason when he has an out in his contract.
In Tampa Bay, Canales leaned heavily on bell cow running back Rachaad White with Chase Edmonds spelling him on passing downs. There's a world where Sanders and Hubbard find themselves in a similar split, with Hubbard running the show and Sanders entering the game on passing downs. Like quarterback, it is hard to see the team spending allocating any serious money on this position with two solid players under contract.
Wide Receiver
Adam Thielen
Jonathan Mingo
Terrace Marshall Jr.
Mike Strachan
Cam Sims
Jordan Matthews
Jalen Camp
It doesn't take an NFL expert to know that changes are coming to this unit. Terrace Marshall's name was mentioned in trade talks leading up to the 2023 trade deadline, and it would be surprising if he's still on the team come week one 2024.
Carolina would be smart to spend their first available draft pick on a weapon for Bryce Young, or spend some of their available cap space on a star veteran like Mike Evans or Calvin Ridley. Or both! There is no such thing as too many weapons on an offense, so expect Carolina to take multiple swings at finding Bryce and alpha target this offseason.
Tight End
Hayden Hurst
Ian Thomas
Tommy Tremble
Chris Pierce Jr.
Another position that will look similar come 2024 due to the previous contracts they've doled out. Dave Canales loves using tight ends in his offense, and it's likely that one of these players will be on the field every snap next season.
The biggest financial commitment was made to Hayden Hurst, but the most productive on field last season was Tommy Tremble. One of these four players will make an impact next season. Good luck figuring out which one.
Offensive Tackle
Taylor Moton
Ickem Ekwonu
Ricky Lee
Badara Traore
JD Direnzo
On paper, the two starters are locked in. Taylor Moton has been a pillar of consistency at right tackle, and Ickem Ekwonu is a highly drafted player who's performance ebbs and flows. There has been chatter about Ekwonu moving inside to guard and drafting and developing a new left tackle, but it is yet to be seen if that is the plan or not.
Free agency and the draft will be telling in regards to that plan. If Carolina invests a high draft pick on a tackle or signs a veteran left tackle to a significant contract, the writing is on the wall for Ekwonu. If they focus on the interior offensive line with either of those options, Ekwonu will be protecting Bryce Young's blindside in 2024.
I'd prefer to see Ekwonu at guard. His strengths match those of an elite guard (strong hands, powerful, wins against strength, not speed), and his weaknesses leave him vulnerable to speedy edge rushers that put him on his heels. His lateral quickness lacks, but his downhill blocking ability has proven elite time and time again.
Interior Offensive Line
Austin Corbett
Brady Christensen
Chandler Zavala
Cade Mays
Nash Jensen
Bradley Bozeman
We didn't know it at the time, but losing Brady Christensen in week one was a season-definer for the Carolina offense. The success of the 2022 offensive line was due in large part to the consistency at each position and having 17 games of the same starting line-up. Once Christensen and Corbett got hurt, a rotating door at guard left Young running for his life more often than not.
If Christensen and Corbett can remain healthy in 2024, the heights of 2022 can be reached again. However, roster attrition is all but guaranteed in the NFL, football is a punishing game. Depth on the offensive line is a luxury in the league, but it's worth committing assets to. Look for Carolina to sign a veteran or two on the interior offensive line to replace some of the snaps given to Mays, Jensen, and Zavala from 2023.
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