What to Expect from Carolina's 2nd-Year Players

The Panthers' success in 2021 will depend on how some of these youngsters perform.

Jeremy Chinn and Derrick Brown are two massive building blocks for the Carolina Panthers' defense. Both of them played extremely well in year one and now, they'll be looked upon as leaders of Phil Snow's unit. 

Will any of the other 2nd-year players have a big impact on the Panthers' success in 2021? Let's take a look at each one.

DL Derrick Brown

Brown was very effective in year one with the Panthers. He served as a run disrupter and also did a fairly good job of collapsing the pocket up the middle. I'm expecting Brown to make the biggest leap out of all 2nd-year players not just on the Panthers roster but in the NFL. Year one is always challenging for the guys in the trenches but Brown handled it pretty well for the most part. I'm not seeing a sophomore slump coming here for Brown, it's all but up from here and he will be one of the biggest reasons the Panthers will finish near the top 10 in total defense. 

DE Yetur Gross-Matos

Gross-Matos' rookie season was plagued with a variety of injuries. Thankfully none of the injuries he sustained were serious but he did miss some time here and there. The constant in and out stunted his growth in year one but he did start to come around at the end of the season. If he remains healthy, he should be named the starter opposite of Brian Burns. Prior to arriving in Carolina, Gross-Matos was viewed as an elite college pass rusher that struggled against the run. He laid that narrative to rest as a rookie and came up with some big stops. 

S Jeremy Chinn

How Jeremy Chinn wasn't named a finalist for the NFL's Rookie of the Year Award is beyond me. Week after week this guy was making plays all over the field and doing so at different positions on the field. I mean heck, he nearly beat the Minnesota Vikings singlehandedly by recording two fumble recoveries that went for touchdowns in a span of ten seconds. This offseason, head coach Matt Rhule said that the coaching staff believes moving Chinn to safety will benefit him long-term. He'll still see some time at SAM linebacker but look for Chinn to make the majority of his plays in the back end of the defense in 2021.

CB Troy Pride Jr.

I wasn't a fan of the Troy Pride Jr. pick when it was announced and so far, I've proven to be right. Pride, although a very speedy defender, lacks the coverage skills and physicality needed to be an every-down corner in the NFL. He will be rotated in to give guys like A.J. Bouye and Rashaan Melvin a breather but his defensive snaps will be extremely limited, maybe even more so than last year due to the added depth. However, Pride can still have an impact on the game on the special teams unit. His speed will keep him on the roster and the best way to utilize him right now is on coverage units. 

S Kenny Robinson

Kenny Robinson is the wild card of the bunch. I feel like last year could have just been a developmental year for him and now he's ready to take on a bigger role in Carolina's defense. Then again, I could also see him losing out on the backup strong safety job to Sam Franklin and being placed back on the practice squad or making his money on special teams. He doesn't have elite speed but he does have good hands and can lay the lumber. If he impresses in the preseason, I think he'll get his shot.

DL Bravvion Roy

I don't think the Panthers' coaching staff expected Roy to play as much as he did in 2020 but they really didn't have much of a choice. Kawann Short was injured early in the year and with a couple of others being banged up, Roy was inserted into the starting lineup and started nine games. Roy held his own and to be honest, handled the situation much better than I anticipated. Carolina signed DaQuan Jones this offseason so that should kick Roy down a spot on the depth chart but he should still see a large number of snaps, especially in short-yardage situations. 

CB Stanley Thomas-Oliver III

Not much was expected of the Panthers 2020 7th round selection. If it weren't for a lack of numbers at corner, there's no guarantee that Thomas-Oliver would have even made the 53-man roster. With the additions of A.J. Bouye, Rashaan Melvin, Jaycee Horn, and Keith Taylor Jr., Thomas-Oliver will certainly be in danger of losing his spot on the active roster.

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