What Schofield Signing Means for Panthers

Carolina gets a huge boost to the offense line with latest addition

Carolina Panthers GM Marty Hurney put an emphasis on rebuilding the defense in the 2020 NFL Draft, using all seven selections on that side of the ball. 

It wasn’t shocking to see them lean defense-heavy in the draft, but it was a little surprising to see them not add to their offensive line - which needs some retooling. 

Earlier this offseason, the Panthers traded 5X Pro Bowler Trai Turner to the Los Angeles Chargers for veteran left tackle Russell Okung. In addition to acquiring Okung, the Panthers also signed guard John Miller away from the Cincinnati Bengals. Center Matt Paradis has not been as productive since he came over from the Denver Broncos and Dennis Daley is still a young, unproven, raw talent. So, aside from the two bookend tackles in Okung and Taylor Moton, there were a ton of question marks surrounding the interior of the offensive line.  

Early Thursday afternoon, the team agreed to a deal with veteran guard Michael Schofield, who started all 16 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019, playing 995 snaps at the right guard position. 

Not only does the signing help shore up the offensive line, but allows younger guys like Dennis Daley to not be forced into a role he’s not quite ready for. 

Schofield was a big piece in the success of running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler rushing for a combined 1,169 yards in 2019. This signing will do wonders for Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey, who will be looking to hit the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season.

Have the Panthers officially stabilized their starting offensive line or is there still some work to do? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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