Panthers Pre-Training Camp Questions: Offensive Line Edition

Matt Alquiza | Jul 15, 2024

Dec 24, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) at the line in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Can the Canales regime revive Ekwonu’s career?

Ikem Ekwonu is the key to the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line. The 6th overall pick is coming off an abysmal sophomore season after showing serious promise as a rookie. Ekwonu’s strengths and weakness are clear for even the untrained eye to see, and it’s up to Dave Canales and co. to accentuate those strengths. 

Ekwonu is a true mauler. He’s at his best when he’s able to get downhill and drive defensive linemen into the laps of their linebackers prowling the second level. Ekwonu is out of his depth trying to match the pace of speed rushers trying to get to the quarterback. All too often said edge rushers shoved the hulking lineman into the lap of his quarterback last season. The best stretch of Ickey’s career came at the end of 2022 when Steve Wilks’ Panthers decimated opponents with a dominant rushing attack. Carolina got away from that offensive archetype as they were forced to play more of a Big 12 style in 2023, airing the ball out in an attempt to make up deficits week in and week out. 

Dave Canales wants to run the ball. He is self-described as “stubborn” in his will to establish the ground game. That is good news for Ekwonu and his long-term prospects in Carolina. The first-year coach is fond of Ekwonu, and the two need to develop a solid working relationship to keep their franchise quarterback upright and in one piece. The other Canales quip that bodes well for Ekwonu is his infatuation with his quarterback getting the ball out in 2.7 seconds or less. Canales’ quick passing, timing-oriented offensive system is friendly to tackles. Last season, Tristan Wirfs earned a Pro Bowl berth under Canales’ watch. Ekwonu has the talent to do the same, and that talent combined with his new head coach’s offensive philosophy may combine for a career-defining season for the young tackle. 

Will the investments on the interior pay off?

Dan Morgan and Canales dished out two massive contracts to interior offensive linemen Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. Hunt specifically inked one of the largest contracts for a guard in NFL history (third behind Chris Lindstrom of the Falcons and Quenten Nelson of the Colts). The Panthers’ brass believes that the improved interior of the line will improve quarterback Bryce Young’s game. 

They maybe be proven correct. Any quarterback, no matter the size, struggles with interior pressure. A muddied picture right in the face of a passer makes it nearly impossible to scan the field successfully. Carolina employed a rotating cast of turnstiles guards last season that failed to provide Young with a chance to prove he was worthy of the number one overall pick. The additions of Hunt and Lewis promise to give Young the chance to succeed in the pocket that he often missed out on in his rookie season. 

Who is playing center?

Carolina has two options to start at center in New Orleans come September. Austin Corbett, a former Super Bowl champion who joined the Panthers as a marquee free agent signing in 2022. And Brady Christensen, a highly drafted prospect Carolina drafted from BYU who flashed real promise as a rookie before tearing his bicep in week one of 2023. Sounds like a fierce competition, right? It is, but the glaring red flag on both player’s profile is that neither have played meaningful snaps at center at the NFL level. 

The four spots surrounding the center position are locked and loaded with quality players. Ekwonu, Hunt, Lewis, and Taylor Moton (who won’t be featured in any questions in this article. His stellar play at right tackle is one of the few answered questions on a team with dozens of question marks) make up a very solid core. The hole in the middle is gaping. 

For a young quarterback like Young, a left tackle, a stud wide receiver, a sure-handed tight end, and a consistent center make up the Mount Rushmore of idealistic teammates. Look at how Jason Kelce and Frank Ragnow have elevated the play of Jalen Hurts and Jared Goff. Center is far from a flashy position, but it matters. 

Christensen or Corbett may pan out as a center going forward. However, I think it is a massive oversight in team-building to leave that position open to be fought for by two unproven options. Corbett has been saying all of the right things this preseason, and he's going to get the first crack at the starting job. His college coach even believes he was meant to play the position. However, talk is well and good in April but when the hits start coming in September, Corbett will have a large load on his hands. He’s incredibly smart, and he had has an entire offseason to prep for the transition, but I still remain skeptical. 

The only true center by trade on the roster is Andrew Raym, an underrated free agent out of Oklahoma. A quarterback of Young’s stature (size and experience-wise) could really benefit from a talented leader at center. The gamble they franchise is taking on Christensen and Corbett is a risky one, and time will tell if they hit or bust. 

How improved is the depth?

Significantly, actually. The return of Christensen is a major boon to the Panthers’s offense. Christensen has serious positional versatility. He’s a guard by trade, but can play tackle or center in a pinch. Yosh Nijman does yeoman’s work as a versatile option as well. Both of those players are vast improvements compared to the backups from last season. Attrition is inevitable on the offensive line. Even having two solid options behind the starting group is a promising proposition for a Panthers team building from the ground up. 

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