Can the Panthers O-line Turn Into a Strength?

One of the worst offensive lines in 2023 could be a respectable group in 2024.

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

In 2023, the Carolina Panthers had one of the worst offensive lines in the entire NFL. Part of that had to do with the health of the guard spots as Brady Christensen was lost for the season in Week 1 and Austin Corbett missed a total of 13 games, suffering another season-ending knee injury.

Cade Mays, rookie Chandler Zavala, NFL journeyman Justin McCray, former UDFA Nash Jensen, and several others were thrust into action and were simply ineffective. This made life that much harder for rookie quarterback Bryce Young, having no time to get the ball out or lanes for his running backs to burst through.

The Panthers hope Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt can be the solution to the problem, investing a combined $154 million in the two guards. So far, so good.

"You can see (the improvement) now," said head coach Dave Canales last week. "Damien Lewis, Robert Hunt, (Austin) Corbett in the middle right there, it's a very stout group inside really guard to guard. I can feel just the momentum that happens in the run game. I can feel that when they sit and anchor in their pass pros there's great space in that interior of the pocket. Those were the things we were hoping for when bringing them in and it's showed up in the spring, even in the setting that we're playing in right now."

Austin Corbett is the key here. Lewis and Hunt will be just fine, and I think Corbett will be too once he settles in. He's extremely smart, vocal, and athletic which is what makes him the perfect guy for the job in this system. He just has to stay healthy, that's it. Overcoming knee injuries in consecutive years is a difficult thing to do, especially when it's the same knee. If that trio on the interior can take care of business, it will not only make life easier for Bryce Young but left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who had a challenging sophomore campaign with a turnstile of starters at left guard.

Dave Canales admitted earlier this offseason that he's going to be stubborn when it comes to leaning on that o-line and running the football over and over again, and he should. It's rare for an offensive line to go from being one of the worst in the league to a top 15 group, but this bunch is capable of doing so.

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