Projecting Panthers’ depth chart following the 2023 NFL Draft: Who is top QB right now?
The Carolina Panthers finally landed the future face of their franchise last week with the selection of first overall pick Bryce Young.
And while the Panthers traded up a lot to select him in the NFL Draft, both the rookie quarterback and head coach Frank Reich acknowledged after the pick that the team wouldn’t force Young into the starting lineup. Both discussed the need for Young to “earn” the starting job with Andy Dalton and Matt Corral already on the roster.
“We’ll know when the right time is,” Reich said Thursday. “That will be a decision that (general manager Scott Fitterer) and I and the coaching staff will continue to look at. But listen, he’s got enough going on right now. I just want him to come in and learn the offense and not have to worry about stepping into the limelight.”
Young echoed that opinion on Friday during his grand introduction at Bank of America Stadium.
“First and foremost, I want to come in and try my best to earn the respect of the people around me,” Young said. “What I’ve done in the past doesn’t entitle me to anything. I have never taken a snap in NFL football. I haven’t done anything. I’m around a group of pros who have been here. Whether it’s coming in with me or been here for a year or beyond and are 10-plus years in the league. There’s a lot that I can learn from them. I want to establish that respect in how I carry myself and how I work. That’s a task for me.”
Young will probably take a step back on the depth chart — at least, initially. Dalton will shepherd Young as a peer mentor — while leading the offseason offense — giving the rookie some time to take in mental reps, learn the offense and compete with this teammates.
The rest of the rookie class will follow suit with earning starting spots.
Here is how The Observer projects the team’s offseason depth chart following the draft:
Note: The team agreed to terms with 13 undrafted free agents on Saturday, but those rookies — who aren’t officially part of the roster yet — were not included in this exercise as they haven’t passed physicals.
Quarterback
Starter: Andy Dalton
Depth: Bryce Young, Matt Corral, Jacob Eason
As mentioned above, the Panthers will let Young settle in before he is given the starting quarterback job. That’s the right move, as Young needs to learn the offense before he can ascend.
Dalton has worked with the coaching staff for roughly a month and has played in the NFL for more than a decade. He knows what he’s looking for, and he knows how to run an offensive practice from the quarterback position. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Dalton work with the first-team offense well into training camp, if not the preseason.
Running back
Starter: Miles Sanders
Depth: Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear, Spencer Brown
Sanders won’t face any competition for the top spot this summer. The Panthers avoided spending a draft pick on a running back, so Sanders — signed to a four-year deal in free agency — will be solidified at the top of totem pole.
With Hubbard established as the backup, Blackshear and Brown will compete for playing time under new running backs coach Duce Staley. Cam Peoples, an undrafted free agent from Appalachian State, might have a shot at a roster spot because of his north-to-south style.
Wide receiver
Starters: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall Jr.
Depth: Jonathan Mingo, Damiere Byrd, Laviska Shenault, Shi Smith, Preston Williams, C.J. Saunders, Derek Wright
Chark is recovering from offseason ankle surgery, but the Panthers expect him back ahead of mandatory minicamp in June. When he is ready to go, Chark and Thielen will be the Panthers’ primary wideouts in two-receiver sets. Marshall and Mingo are likely to compete to be the third receiver on the field at the “X” position. While Mingo was excellent during his final year at Ole Miss, the Panthers are likely to force him to earn a spot with the first-team offense.
Shenault, Byrd, Smith, Williams, Saunders and Wright are all competing for depth spots. Shenault has been shouted out in press conferences this offseason, while Byrd was brought back in free agency.
Tight end
Starter: Hayden Hurst
Depth: Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble, Giovanni Ricci, Stephen Sullivan
The Panthers signed Hurst to be their top playmaker at tight end. The draft then came and went without a tight end addition, solidifying his spot in the lineup.
Thomas took a pay cut to return, so he will be sticking around in his role as a 12-personnel blocking tight end. Tremble, Ricci and Sullivan will be competing for roster spots and playing time.
Offensive line
Starters: Ikem Ekwonu (LT), Brady Christensen (LG), Bradley Bozeman (C), Cade Mays (RG), Taylor Moton (RT)
Depth: Chandler Zavala, Justin McCray, Sam Tecklenburg, Deonte Brown, Larnel Coleman
Injured: Austin Corbett (ACL)
Day 3 of the draft added some extra intrigue to the trenches. The Panthers selected Zavala in the fourth round, and he has the upside to be a rookie starter. He played next to Ekwonu at N.C. State, and history could repeat itself if Zavala enters a competition with left guard Brady Christensen this summer. On the right side, Corbett is expected to miss some regular-season action, according to Reich. Mays, last year’s sixth-round pick, is expected to get the first crack at replacing Corbett.
Ekwonu, Bozeman and Moton are set in their spots, but the team still desperately needs a swing tackle. Fitterer said on Saturday that the Panthers would monitor free agency and the XFL for potential options.
Defensive line
Starters: Derrick Brown (DE), Shy Tuttle (NT), DeShawn Williams (DE)
Depth: Henry Anderson, Marquan McCall, Bravvion Roy, John Penisini, Raequan Williams
The Panthers didn’t draft a defensive lineman this past weekend. So, Tuttle and DeShawn Williams still appear to be the favorites to start along the line, opposite Brown. Henderson, Roy and Raequan Williams will compete for two spots, while McCall and Penisini will compete to be the backup nose tackle.
The Panthers appear to be more confident in this group heading into the offseason.
Edge rusher
Starters: Brian Burns, Marquis Haynes
Depth: DJ Johnson, Yetur Gross-Matos, Amare Barno, Kobe Jones
The Panthers traded up to select Johnson in the third round, putting some pretty strong pressure on the rookie to deliver right away. Johnson is a strong fit for the defensive system, but is still viewed as a project player, as he is somewhat new to the edge rusher position. Johnson will compete with Haynes and Gross-Matos for the starting spot opposite Burns.
Barno and Jones will be competing for depth snaps once Burns returns from ankle surgery during training camp. It would not be surprising to see a veteran added to the fold through free agency or a trade here.
Inside linebacker
Starters: Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu
Depth: Jeremy Chinn, Brandon Smith, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Chandler Wooten, Arron Mosby
Like with tight end and running back, the lack of activity at inside linebacker was somewhat surprising during the draft. Now, the Panthers will roll with Thompson and Luvu as inside linebackers as they convert to a 3-4 front.
Chinn will serve as a nickel cornerback in the “big” personnel package. He will also play linebacker in the dime packages. Smith and Grugier-Hill will compete to be Thompson and Luvu’s main backup. Wooten and Mosby are deep depth and special teams contributors.
Cornerback
Starters: Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson
Depth: CJ Henderson, Keith Taylor Jr., Stantley Thomas-Oliver, Herb Miller
The Panthers will start Horn and Jackson in their base defense. Henderson will rotate in for nickel package work. Taylor, Thomas-Oliver and Miller will then compete with a trio of undrafted rookies for depth roles.
This is another spot that could see some additional offseason moves as well.
Safety
Starters: Vonn Bell, Xavier Woods
Depth: Eric Rowe, Sam Franklin, Jammie Robinson, Myles Dorn
Safety could be the deepest position group on the team. Bell and Woods form an excellent starting tandem on the back end, while Rowe is capable of playing most of the positions in the secondary. Franklin is a superb special teams ace, and he can contribute in a variety of roles on defense as well.
Robinson, the team’s fifth-round pick, should be able to carve out a role during training camp and the preseason. Dorn will compete for a deep depth or practice-squad job.
Special teams
Punter: Johnny Hekker
Kicker: Eddy Piñeiro
Long snapper: JJ Jansen
The special teams trio has been reunited, and as of now, they won’t face any competition this summer. Hekker and Piñeiro and Jansen were at the top of their games last season, and they’ll try to repeat that success this season with special teams coordinator Chris Tabor sticking around for another campaign.
