Crimson Tide NFL Team Rundown: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers finished 2022 tied for second in the NFC South, one game away from winning the division. After trading to the first-overall pick to select Bryce Young, what can Carolina fans expect in 2023?

The NFC South was a competitive division in 2022, but not necessarily in a good way. The Buccaneers finished first despite having a sub.-500 record at 8-9, while the other three teams were all 7-10. Consequently, the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers all top-10 selections in the 2023 NFL Draft.

It was no secret that Carolina was on the quarterback hunt, and traded wide receiver DJ Moore and a handful of draft picks to the Chicago Bears for the first-overall selections. The Panthers used the pick to select Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young to right the ship and return the franchise to the top of the division.  

The Panthers success this season will largely rest on Young's development. Although a rookie quarterback has massive adjustments to make going from college to the NFL, he's already been named the starter. 

Another offseason priority was to improve the offensive line. Per USA Today, the Panthers had the fifteenth-ranked offensive line in the league last season, while dealing with some growing pains with starting 2022 first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle. He settled in as the season, progressed, and now will be tasked with protecting Young's blindside. The Panthers also added two other former Crimson Tide players on the offensive line: Bradley Bozeman and Deonte Brown. 

Bozeman played for the Crimson Tide from 2013 to 2017, earning the starting center job in 2016 and being named team captain in 2017. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens and was a starter until 2022, when he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers. Betting on himself paid off as Bozeman became a starter and subsequently signed a three-year extension, locking him in as the team's starting center for the foreseeable future. 

Bama in the NFL: Carolina Panthers Betting Future on Bryce Young

Deonte Brown, on the other hand, will have a harder path to the 53-man roster this season. He played for Alabama from 2016 to 2020, earning a starting role midway through his sophomore season. The sixth-round pick in 2021 played in three games as a rookie, recording no stats, before spending all of 2022 on the practice squad. He'll need to make a signifiant move up the depth chart to stick with the team. 

Carolina added weapons for their rookie quarterback, signing running back Miles Sanders from the Eagles, wide receivers Adam Thielen from the Vikings and DJ Chark from the Lions, tight end Hayden Hurst from Cincinnati, and drafted wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from Ole Miss. Backup quarterback Andy Dalton is serving as a mentor to Young as well. 

With the rest of the NFC South also seemingly in a rebuild the Panthers have a realistic shot at winning the division with a rookie quarterback. Four of the last six games on the Panthers schedule are division games, which means if Carolina can stay afloat during the middle of the season, as Young and the offense meshes together the Panthers could find themselves hosting a playoff game. Young will be on the short list of players to watch for Offensive Rookie of the Year, especially if the Panthers pull off a division win. 

Active Carolina Panthers

#56 Bradley Bozeman, G/C

#77 Deonte Brown, OL

#9 Bryce Young, QB

See Also: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team