The Panthers 'Feel Really Good' About Austin Corbett's Move to Center

Carolina GM Dan Morgan hasn't ruled out adding competition, but feels like the veteran can get the job done at a new position.

Dec 24, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers guard Austin Corbett (63) blocks / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

One of the surprises from the 2024 NFL Draft is that the Carolina Panthers elected to pass on drafting a center, despite both Jackson Powers-Johnson and Zach Frazier falling well into the second round. Rather than taking a future starter there, they opted to add to the running back room by selecting Jonathon Brooks out of Texas, making him the first running back taken in the class.

Prior to the draft, both GM Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales expressed their confidence in Austin Corbett making the transition from guard to center and not taking one in the draft supports that.

"Yeah, you know, I think I said before we feel really good about Austin Corbett there at center,” Morgan said after the draft. “I think he's progressing well, and I think Dave (Canales) would say the same thing to you guys. I think him, along with Brady Christensen, you know, he's been getting some snaps at center. You know, we feel like he has a lot of potential there as well. You know, so we feel good about it, but we are always going to be looking to challenge our roster and get better and create that competition. We're not going to leave anything -- we're not going to close the door on bringing somebody else in as well.”

Corbett has played center in the past, and in the NFL. He did so with the Cleveland Browns early in his career and has taken practice reps there for several years. For him, it’s not been this big grand adjustment like we’re all making it out to be.

“It’s been fine,” Corbett told reporters last week. “I’ve been groomed to be a center my entire career. Kind of even starting back in college, played every game at left tackle but my coach Brian Polian said if you’re going to play in the league you’re going to be a good center. You’re too good not to. I’ve been the emergency center on every team I’ve been on. I was the starting center going into Super Bowl year back in ’21 through training camp and then ended up shifting around. It’s nothing new by any stretch of the imagination.”

How Corbett performs there hasn’t been my concern. It’s his health. He’s suffered season-ending knee injuries in consecutive seasons and although he appears to have bounced back, there is some concern there. Brady Christensen has been getting some reps at center behind Corbett as well as a few others, but don’t be surprised to see Carolina add a true center to the mix at some point over the summer to serve as the backup.

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