Even at 3-8 here in Week 13, the Carolina Panthers have come to experience more ups than downs this season.
Quarterback Bryce Young has bounced back into the starting lineup and is playing the best ball of his pro career, a few rookie pass catchers are carving out exciting roles and the defense—at least in the last three games—has stepped up to make key stops in giving the team a chance to win.
But the highest high note from the 2024 campaign has been their rebuilt offensive line.
One year ago, the Panthers had arguably the worst front five in the NFL. And the most glaring weaknesses on the group came on the inside, where there was a literal changing of the guards seemingly every week.
President of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan made a promise in the offseason to rebuild the middle of the unit, and ended up spending a lot of money in doing so. In free agency, Carolina signed former Miami Dolphins right guard Robert Hunt to a five-year, $100 million deal then former Seattle Seahawks left guard Damien Lewis to a four-year, $53 million contract.
The Panthers also added Yosh Nijman as a quality spot starter behind tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, and moved former right guard Austin Corbett to the starting center position.
And now, with the team having an entire offensive line it can be proud of, Morgan’s return on investment may already be one of the best this franchise has ever gotten.
One of the many beneficiaries of the reconstruction has been the left tackle in Ekwonu, who has been solid in his third NFL campaign. Having a stout left guard in Lewis has helped with communication and handling different types of pressures that have come their way.
Ekwonu’s current Pro Football Focus grades are all at career-highs—as he boasts an overall mark of 72.7 along with a 70.2 in pass blocking and an 82.3 in run blocking.
Ikem Ekwonu vs. Chris Jones.
Not bad, not bad at all. #Panthers pic.twitter.com/d64SCtZBBN
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) November 30, 2024
It’s plays like the one below that have the Panthers front office and fans smiling ear to ear.
There is pre-snap and post-snap communication, linemen are hitting their landmarks in pass-blocking sets, displaying active and competitive hands, getting grips on opposing defensive linemen and setting a firm anchor.
One of the most impressive performances from this group was against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12.
The Chiefs have an aggressive defensive front that can get after the quarterback at a blistering clip. Top defensive tackle Chris Jones had his way a couple of times throughout the game against this bunch—but he was largely quiet, and it almost helped the Panthers upset the defending Super Bowl champions.
• Dbl team by 68 Lewis and 64 Mays on Chris Jones
• stout pass set from 50 Hunt
• 79 Ekwonu and 72 Moton handling business on the edges#Panthers OL is one of the brightest developments this season. pic.twitter.com/f9d6WdAMCw— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) November 30, 2024
Coaching has played a significant role in Carolina’s improved offensive line play as well. Run game coordinator Harold Goodwin, offensive line coach Joe Gilbert and assistant offensive line coach Keli’i Kekuewa have been behind the unit’s growth and development.
For example—Corbett, who was playing high-level football at the center position, tore his triceps in Week 5. He’d be replaced by Brady Christensen, who filled in seamlessly for three starts.
Then Christensen, who had to fill in for an injured Ekwonu on the blindside, would be replaced at center by Cade Mays. And Mays, highlighted by his 85.5 pass-blocking grade against Kansas City, has also proven to be a reliable presence in the middle over his three starts.
The successful plug-and-play approach is a sign that this staff is adamant about putting their players in the best position to win. Combine that with a general manager willing to spend a lot of money to improve a specific unit, and there is something to really look forward to and anticipate in the future.
Morgan still has plenty to prove as a general manager, but his 2024 offseason could be a baseline for what he needs to do to give fans some more excitement in the coming seasons.
