Projecting the Panthers’ depth chart following roster updates
This past week, the Carolina Panthers had to take care of a little housekeeping—some work that resulted in what is now their 53-man roster. And heck, they had even more tidying up to do after that—with their moves to accommodate a high-profile injury, a new kicker and the start of a practice squad.
So, now that that’s all done, how will their first official depth chart of the 2022 regular season pan out? Here are our projections.
Under center
AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman
Position | 1st | Depth |
QB | Baker Mayfield | PJ Walker |
Mayfield, of course, will steer this ship into Week 1 against his old Cleveland Browns buddies. And as Sam Darnold and Matt Corral sit on the injured reserve, with the former out for about a month and the latter for the whole season, Walker is the de facto backup.
Backfield
AP Photo/Nell Redmond
Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
RB | Christian McCaffrey | D’Onta Foreman | Chuba Hubbard |
FB | Giovanni Ricci |
As long as McCaffrey is present, Foreman seems to be the likelier No. 2 option. His power style is a more complementary change of pace for the offense.
Pass catchers
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | 4th string |
WR | DJ Moore | Rashard Higgins | Laviska Shenault Jr. | Andre Roberts |
WR | Robbie Anderson | Terrace Marshall Jr. | Shi Smith | |
TE | Tommy Tremble | Stephen Sullian | ||
TE | Ian Thomas |
Shenault could be the wildcard of the offense, let alone this group. The 2020 second-round pick, who was acquired this past Monday, may even take snaps out of the backfield—perhaps in a poor man’s version of how the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers deploy Cordarrelle Patterson and Deebo Samuel.
Offensive line
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
Position | 1st string | 2nd string |
LT | Ikem Ekwonu | |
LG | Brady Christensen | Michael Jordan |
C | Bradley Bozeman | Pat Elflein |
RG | Austin Corbett | Cade Mays |
RT | Taylor Moton | Cameron Erving |
If Bozeman is indeed a go in Week 1, he should get the nod over Elflein.
As for their depth, the Panthers have made a pointed effort to fill their bench with versatile hog mollies. They have that in Elflein, Erving, Mays and—if need be—Christensen, who can swing over to the blindside.
Front seven
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
DE | Brian Burns | Marquis Haynes Sr. | |
DT | Derrick Brown | Daviyon Nixon | Phil Hoskins |
DT | Matt Ioannidis | Bravvion Roy | Marquan McCall |
DE | Yetur Gross-Matos | Amaré Barno | |
WLB | Shaq Thompson | Brandon Smith | |
MLB | Damien Wilson | Cory Littleton | |
SLB | Frankie Luvu |
Carolina has themselves two intriguing rookies in Barno and Smith. They’ll, obviously, start out as depth—but could make their presences felt with opportunities just waiting to be seized.
Secondary
Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string |
CB | Donte Jackson | CJ Henderson | Stantley Thomas-Oliver III |
CB | Jaycee Horn | Keith Taylor Jr. | |
FS | Jeremy Chinn | Sean Chandler | |
SS | Xavier Woods | Myles Hartsfield | Sam Franklin Jr. |
Even though he stands at just 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, Hartsfield should be a big player in this secondary. He can line up from a number of spots, giving defensive coordinator Phil Snow a chess piece of sorts over the top and from the slot.
Specialists
AP Photo/Chris Carlson
Position | 1st string | 2nd string |
K | Eddy Piñeiro | |
P | Johnny Hekker | |
LS | JJ Jansen | |
KR | Andre Roberts | Chuba Hubbard |
PR | Andre Roberts | Shi Smith |
With Zane Gonzalez done for the season, Piñeiro takes over the kicking duties.
Roberts, the most experienced return man on the team by a wide margin, could handle both kickoffs and punts.
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