Will the Panthers Draft a Center to Push Austin Corbett for the Starting Job?

Carolina appears interested in adding competition at center.

Oct 29, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers guard Austin Corbett (63) runs on to / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Austin Corbett is making the move from guard to center this offseason, replacing Bradley Bozeman who the team released earlier this spring. The center spot is not completely foreign to Corbett, having played the position a little bit during his stint with the Cleveland Browns. 

Making the transition can be a big leap for some, but there appears to be little concern with regards to Corbett. He’s a very intelligent football player who has seen and experienced a lot in this league. Where the concern comes in is his overall health. He’s suffered season-ending knee injuries in consecutive seasons and anytime a lineman has a pair of serious knee injuries happen in a short period of time, there’s reason to worry.

Fortunately for the Panthers, this is a good draft to need a center. Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon), Zach Frazier (West Virginia), Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (Georgia), and Hunter Nourzad (Penn State) are all viewed as prospects who could take on a starting role early in their career.

So, how does Panthers head coach Dave Canales view the center spot entering the draft?

“My approach, our approach is really how can we challenge this roster every year? So if it’s free agency, if it’s through the draft, let’s attack all of our spots because we don’t want any of our players to just be complacent sitting there like hey, I got this, no big deal. That’s another position right there where I think it’s a great opportunity for Corbs. I think for him, the way that he’s wired, the person, it’s a great opportunity for him. And if somebody falls to us that can challenge that position and that spot, then we got to take a serious look at it and that goes across the board.

“I feel great about playing football right now with the group we have. I know that there’s guys that are going to be able to help us that can really challenge our play, elevate our play. This makes us all better. You bring in fresh blood, a rookie, who’s excited to go at whatever position I think it turns on the whole room where everyone sits up a little straighter, you start to feel a little more agile and start to dial in your notes a little bit more. It’s part of the competitive nature of this thing and yes, I think we should still target playmakers at every position skill-wise on the offensive side.”

Whether it’s through the draft (most likely) or free agency, the Panthers need to add another center to the roster. With two picks at the top of the second round, it would make a lot of sense for Carolina to use one of those selections on a center, giving them someone who can push Corbett for the starting job.