Winners + Losers from Panthers' 2022 Draft Haul
It's been nearly a month since the 2022 NFL Draft took place in Las Vegas and now that we've had some time to digest it all, we look at which returning Panthers were impacted most by the draft class.
Winners
Future franchise QB
No one knows who the future of the franchise is at the position. Heck, it might even be Matt Corral, whom the Panthers selected in the third round. Whoever the future QB1 is will be very thankful that Ikem Ekwonu fell to Carolina at No. 6. This is a position the Panthers have needed to fix for several years and now, they have the solution for the next decade.
RB Christian McCaffrey
In the same vein, anytime Christian McCaffrey can get some help from the big fellas up front, he'll be extremely happy. Ekwonu will start at left tackle and that's where they see him long-term, but he does have the ability to play guard. Regardless of where he lines up, Ekwonu will be a mauler in the run game.
OL Brady Christensen
There's a theme here. Yes, Ekwonu helps out again. How? Well, this finally gives Brady Christensen some stability. Instead of not knowing what position he will be lining up at from week to week or even day to day for that matter, he'll now settle in at left guard. No longer bouncing around, Christensen will be able to develop into a quality starter.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Had the Giants went with Ekwonu at No. 5 and left Kayvon Thibodeaux on the board, things could have got real interesting. Maybe the Panthers take a QB super early or go with Evan Neal, but Thibodeaux would have been hard to pass on. In addition to not selecting any in the draft, the Panthers haven't added any competition for Gross-Matos through free agency. This is his chance to prove he should be in the starting eleven.
Losers
QB Sam Darnold
You knew this was going to be the first name here, didn't you? No offense to Sam, but this only proves the lack of confidence the organization has in him moving forward. They were desperate to add a body to the QB room and were on the phones with Cleveland about Baker Mayfield while also talking to New England at the same time to move back up into the third round. Matt Corral may not be ready by Week 1, but if Darnold continues to struggle midway through the season, that could be his final chance to start in the NFL.
OT Cameron Erving
As much as drafting Ekwonu helps multiple players on the Panthers' offense, it does hurt one - Cameron Erving. I'm sure he had a pretty good feeling that Carolina would come out of the draft with a tackle and if not, a move for another veteran would be made. In some instances, the veteran will still start over a top 10 tackle, especially on the left side. I just don't see Erving beating out Ekwonu for the starting job in training camp. Now, Erving will transition to a backup/swing tackle.
CB Stanley Thomas-Oliver III
Initially, this spot would have been reserved for Troy Pride Jr., but he was released by the team last week. Just because Pride is gone doesn't mean Thomas-Oliver's job is completely safe. Drafting Kalon Barnes in the 7th round will give STO some competition for a spot on the 53-man roster. Thomas-Oliver is fast, but Barnes is an absolute burner. With a loaded cornerback room, it may come down to these two for the final roster spot.
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