Is Taylor Moton's job safe in Carolina? Panthers could eye long-term replacement in draft

One of the few spots the Carolina Panthers don't have to worry about on its roster heading into the 2025 season is right tackle. Or will they?

Taylor Moton has been one of the best pass protectors in the NFL throughout his career and has been extremely durable, having not missed a single game until this season. Ideally, the Panthers would continue to move forward with one of its proven commodities, but GM Dan Morgan has to keep the future in mind as well.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton (72) takes the field during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Moton will be turning 31 in August and is entering the final year of his contract. In order to keep Moton around beyond the 2025 season, it's going to cost Carolina a pretty penny, and with so many holes to address on defense along with finding a top-tier wide receiver for Bryce Young, it may force Carolina to move on from the second-longest tenured Panther.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine recently noted offensive tackle as a "surprise need" for Carolina heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.

"Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are both only under contract through the 2025 season. Ekwonu just put together his best season yet so he's probably coming back, but Moton is 30 years old and the Panthers seem content to let him play out the final year of his deal at this point. The Panthers have the 74th pick right now, and the three tackles listed all happen to be ranked in that neighborhood on our big board. They also have all played on the right side with enough promise in their game to be worth the investment to see if they could replace Moton in a year."

The players Ballentine listed around pick 74 are Ozzy Trapilo (Boston College), Marcus Mbow (Purdue), and Cameron Williams (Texas).

While taking an offensive tackle there is certainly a possibility, perhaps Morgan surprises everyone by taking one in the first round. This would give Carolina one of the top tackles in the draft, and replacing Moton with a highly touted rookie on a cheap contract doesn't feel quite as worrisome.

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