How Good Can the Guard Duo of Robert Hunt & Damien Lewis Be for Carolina?

Carolina's new guards rank among the best in the league.

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

If Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan could only choose one area of the roster to improve this offseason, it would have been the offensive line. The Panthers' allowed Bryce Young to be sacked 62 times as a rookie and were fortunate to get out of the season with a healthy quarterback.

Morgan accomplished his goal by re-shaping the interior of the o-line by signing veterans Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to multi-year deals. That duo, according to Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus, is rated among the best interior tandems in the NFL as both sit inside the top 30.

Robert Hunt: No. 10

"Hunt’s numbers in 2023 were exceptional. He allowed just five pressures, the second fewest of any guard in the NFL, and surrendered the lowest pressure rate (1.3%). Those numbers were boosted by a quarterback-friendly offense predicated on Tua Tagovailoa getting the ball out fast, but Hunt still held up his end of the bargain. His reward was a five-year, $100 million contract from the Carolina Panthers. Hunt will now spend the next five years protecting Bryce Young. His 77.1 overall grade in 2023 ranked sixth among guards."

Damien Lewis: No. 29

"Lewis was a starter in his four years with the Seattle Seahawks, before earning a four-year, $53 million contract with the Carolina Panthers in the offseason. Lewis’ 59.6 PFF overall grade in 2023 was the second lowest of his career, but he has earned a 68.0 pass-blocking grade over the past two seasons — which is more than respectable. He’ll need to be at his best to protect Bryce Young in Carolina moving forward."

While the guard spots appear to be fixed, there is still some concern about how Austin Corbett will translate to center. It's a position he's played in the past, but it's been quite some time since he's been there regularly. Also the back-to-back season-ending knee injuries are worrisome for a team that has not added a true veteran backup center. Should Corbett stay healthy and have a seamless transition to center, Bryce Young should have a much more comfortable pocket to work from in 2024.

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