Greg Little Likely to Develop Behind Russell Okung

The offensive line was one of the weakest units for the Panthers last year. This position group experienced some change this offseason with the John Miller signing and Russell Okung-Trai Turner trade.

However, the team still lacks talent and depth on the offensive line for there to be a significant upgrade from the previous season. Luckily for Carolina, one of the bright spots from the offensive line comes from 2019 second-round draft pick, Greg Little.

After dominating at Ole Miss against top-tier SEC competition, Little was one of the top offensive line prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft. Fortunately, he fell to the Panthers in the second round and will have an opportunity to bloom into one of the cornerstones of the Carolina offensive line for a long time.

In an email to the Charlotte Observer, general manager Marty Hurney discussed how the acquisition of left tackle Russell Okung could help Little in the long run:

"We have all the confidence in the world in Greg, and it just gives him time to come in and get with a guy who has played in this league at a high level for a long time and develop with Greg.”

The former rookie experienced a turbulent rookie season in 2019. While he saw action in four games and started in three, he was basically thrown into the fire as a result of the line's deteriorated health. Since there was no depth on the line, Little had to contribute during games, no matter how much he struggled against some of the best defensive linemen in the league.

Now that the Panthers have Russell Okung at the left tackle position, Little will get to experience a year of growth behind one of the most seasoned tackles in the NFL. However, his services may be needed at other positions on the offensive line in 2020.

If the Panthers play their cards right in this year's draft, this might not need to occur. It is essential to note that Okung has only played in all sixteen games one time in his career, so if he goes down, be ready to see Little hit the field more this season.

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