Vonn Bell is going to be a lot more than just a veteran presence on the Carolina Panthers defense.
Using her projection model, NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund recently forecasted the stat leaders for the 2023 campaign. As for her prediction on who will pick off the most passes this upcoming season, Frelund ends up on Bell:
I am not gonna lie: This one even surprised me — and it’s my model. But when you consider Ejiro Evero’s defensive concepts, the potential for increased pressure up front, Jeremy Chinn’s ability to move around and how Bell operated in Cincinnati, this vision starts to come into focus. The Panthers’ defense has the potential to be a real problem for opposing QBs, especially in the NFC South, and where Bell forecasts to play puts him in a great spot to snag a number of picks.
The model projects the new Panthers safety to collect on six interceptions, which would be a new career-high for the 28-year-old. In fact, he has six interceptions in his previous seven seasons combined.
Those picks would, obviously, be a welcomed site for Carolina as well. While largely solid in 2022, the Panthers defense amassed all of 17 takeaways—which tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL.
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