NFL analyst names one Panthers player everyone can root for and it's not Bryce Young

Last season, everyone rallied around Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young. It seemed like the entire NFL world wanted him to succeed and revelled in the success he had down the stretch. Heading into 2025, while it won't be quite the same, there will be plenty of support for Young.

He is not, however, the player that everyone should root for on the Panthers. Instead, according to NFL insider Tom Blair, fans should band together to support Taylor Moton, the veteran tackle.

Blair believes the trajectory Young and Dave Canales got on at the end of 2024 could lead to the first winning season since 2017, when the Panthers went 11-5. There are just two players on the current roster who have ever seen a Panthers winning season, and Moton is one of them. JJ Jansen, the long snapper, is the other.

"Moton claimed the starting right tackle gig in 2018 and has been plugging away since, hanging tough through losing seasons and regime changes, blocking for a wide range of QBs (Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, Sam Darnold, Young) and backs (Christian McCaffrey, D'Onta Foreman, Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard)," Blair said.

Even as an aging veteran, the tackle is still effective. "[He's] credited by Next Gen Stats with allowing the second-lowest pressure rate (5.9%) in the NFL among right tackles with 500-plus pass-blocking snaps last season," Blair said. "With his current deal set to expire after 2025, it would be fitting for Moton to finally taste success in Carolina -- and if he's able to extend his stay, he might even clear a spot for himself in franchise history, given that he currently sits in 13th place on the Panthers' all-time starts list (with 113)."

Moton has long been underrated and probably forgotten by many fans. While the Panthers offensive line has rarely ever been good until just last year, Moton has always been good and has always been a reliable, consistent rock on the right side of the line. He deserves to see some more success.

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