Even at 3-8 here in Week 13, the Carolina Panthers have had more ups than downs this season.
quarterback Bryce Young has returned to the starting lineup and is playing the best ball of his professional career, a few new pass catchers are playing exciting roles and the defense has stepped up – at least in the last three games – to make important stops to give the team a chance to give the victory.
However, the biggest highlight of the 2024 season was the rebuilt offensive line.
A year ago, the Panthers arguably had the worst front five in the NFL. And the group's most glaring weaknesses were revealed on the inside, where a literal changing of the guard seemed to take place every week.
Dan Morgan, president of football operations and general manager, promised in the offseason to rebuild the middle of the unit and ended up spending heavily to do so. In free agency, Carolina signed former Miami Dolphins right guard Robert Hunt Then former Seattle Seahawks guard Damien Lewis left one .
Also the Panthers Yosh Nijman was a quality starter behind tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, joining former right guard Austin Corbett .
And with the team now having a complete offensive line to be proud of, Morgan's return on investment may already be one of the best this franchise has ever achieved.
One of the many beneficiaries of the rebuild was left tackle Ekwonu, who had solid performances in his third NFL season. Having a strong left-back in Lewis helped with communication and dealing with the different pressures that came their way.
Ekwonu's current Pro Football Focus grades are all at the highest level of his career – he has an overall grade of 72.7 as well as 70.2 in pass blocking and 82.3 in run blocking.
Ikem Ekwonu vs Chris Jones.
Not bad, not bad at all.
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft)
It's games like this that make the Panthers front office and fans smile from ear to ear.
There is pre- and post-snap communication, the linemen hit their targets in pass block sets, show active and competitive hands, get the opposing defensive linemen under control and set a solid anchor.
One of the most impressive performances from this group was against the Kansas City Chiefs .
The Chiefs have an aggressive defensive front that can attack the quarterback at breakneck speed. Chris Jones, the top defensive tackle, took on this group a few times throughout the game – but he was largely quiet, and that almost helped the Panthers upset the reigning Super Bowl champions.
• Double teamed by 68 Lewis and 64 Mays on Chris Jones
• Stout Pass Set from 50 Hunt
• 79 Ekwonu and 72 Moton conduct business on the sidelines OL is one of the brightest developments this season.— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft)
Coaching has also contributed significantly to Carolina's improved offensive play. Running game coordinator Harold Goodwin, offensive line coach Joe Gilbert and assistant offensive line coach Keli'i Kekuewa were behind the unit's growth and development.
For example: Corbett, who played top football in the center position, in Week 5. He was replaced by Brady Christensen, who seamlessly took three starts.
Then Christensen, who had to replace the injured Ekwonu on the blindside, would be replaced at center by Cade Mays. And Mays, who stood out for his 85.5 pass block rate against Kansas City, has also proven to be a reliable centerfielder in his three starts.
The successful plug-and-play approach is a sign that the workforce is convinced They put their players in the best position to win. Combine that with a general manager who is willing to spend a lot of money to improve a particular unit and you get something that you can really look forward to and expect in the future.
Morgan still has a lot to prove as a general manager, but his 2024 offseason could be a cornerstone of what he needs to do to provide fans with more excitement in the seasons to come.
