Tag: Brady Christensen

Panthers reportedly plan on moving Austin Corbett to center in 2024

With their two big additions on Monday, the Panthers are reportedly planning on moving Austin Corbett to center this upcoming season.

Now that the Carolina Panthers have found the beef, they have to find a place to put it all. But luckily, there already seems to be a plan for that.

On Monday, the team reportedly came to terms with interior offensive linemen Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. Hunt is expected to sign a five-year, $100 million pact while Lewis is set for a four-year, $53 million deal.

So, with major investments in a new left guard and a new right guard, what does this mean for the current incumbents in Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett?

According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers plan on moving Corbett from right guard to the starting center position and Christensen from left guard to the swing tackle role. That would give the offense the following lineup in the trenches:

LT: Ikem Ekwonu
LG: Damien Lewis
C: Austin Corbett
RG: Robert Hunt
RT: Taylor Moton

The middle just opened up on Sunday with news of the impending release of this past season’s starting center in Bradley Bozeman. Corbett has not logged a single snap from the middle over his six-year NFL career, but is seen as a potential fit for the role in head coach Dave Canales’ offense.

Christensen, on the other hand, does carry some appropriate pro experience into this fresh vision. The former third-round pick, who was a standout on the blindside for Brigham Young University, has recorded 370 snaps at left tackle and 71 at right tackle.

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Guard position expected to be free-agent priority for Panthers

Help is likely on the way for Panthers QB Bryce Young.

Often times in the NFL, availability is the best ability. And unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers and rookie quarterback Bryce Young, their guards were frighteningly unavailable in 2023.

The organization, however, will probably look to fix that—as two post-combine reports from Sunday morning indicated that the Panthers are motivated to fortify the interior of their offensive line. Joseph Person of The Athletic wrote the following in his closing thoughts from this year’s scouting combine:

League sources said the Panthers are interested in adding at least one guard this offseason and the position will be a free-agent priority — a nod to Bryce Young’s 5-foot-10 stature but also a response to an absurd number of injuries or inconsistent play at the position in 2023.

ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler seconded that feeling, stating that Carolina is amongst a handful of teams—along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and New York Jets—that “really need guard help.”

The Panthers began the campaign without starting right guard Austin Corbett, who was still recovering from an ACL tear from the 2022 finale. While he eventually hit the field in Week 7, another knee injury would end his year after just four outings.

Carolina’s front also lost their other starting guard, Brady Christensen, just one game into the season. The third-year lineman sustained a biceps injury in the 2023 opener against the Atlanta Falcons and did not return.

By year’s end, the Panthers started six different players at left guard and seven different players at right guard.

In addition, Young would be sacked a total of 62 times—the second-highest mark in the entire NFL.

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Panthers’ 4 biggest needs entering free agency

Much of the Panthers’ 2024 offseason should be spent on helping out Bryce Young.

The Carolina Panthers are fresh off tying an NFL record for the most losses in a 17-game regular season and produced one of the most cringeworthy offenses in recent memory. So, uh, yeah—they have some work to do this offseason.

To make it a bit simpler, let’s check out their four biggest areas of need as we inch closer to free agency.

Panthers great Jonathan Stewart ’empowered’ by Morgan-Canales presser

New Panthers HC Dave Canales definitely has a fan in franchise great Jonathan Stewart.

The Carolina Panthers haven’t won a playoff game since Jonathan Stewart was on the roster. So, much like the rest of the faithful, he’s felt the pain from this franchise for quite some time.

But, the former running back was feeling something much different on Thursday—after the team’s introductory press conference for new president of football operations Dan Morgan and new head coach Dave Canales. He and a handful of other Panthers greats were in attendance at Bank of America Stadium this morning to experience the start of a new era, and it may be something that sticks with them for a while . . .

Stewart then tweeted the following later in the evening:

As far as the legends go, Carolina’s all-time leading rusher was joined by Thomas Davis (obviously), Mike Tolbert, Muhsin Muhammad and Mike Rucker. A few active players—including offensive linemen Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett—were also in the seats.

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Panthers’ updated practice squad after addition of Deonte Brown

Panthers’ updated 16-man practice squad following Thursday’s return of Deonte Brown

The Carolina Panthers brought back a familiar face to their practice squad on Thursday, adding guard Deonte Brown at the expense of quarterback Jake Luton.

Brown’s return may not be too surprising considering the current state (or whatever’s left of it) of Carolina’s interior offensive line. With Brady Christensen, Austin Corbett and Chandler Zavala now all lost for the rest of the season, the 2021 sixth-round pick could provide some insurance to a battered front.

Let’s take an updated look at the practice squad with Brown, once again, in the fold:

Panthers sign G Gabe Jackson to practice squad

With the injuries piling up along their offensive line, the Panthers have signed G Gabe Jackson to their practice squad.

In need of some help along their offensive line, the Carolina Panthers just added one of the biggest hog mollies they could find.

The team announced this afternoon that they have signed guard Gabe Jackson to their practice squad. The 6-foot-3, 335-pounder, as already reported by Bleacher Report NFL insider Jordan Schultz, had been slated for a visit today.

Jackson, a Mississippi State University product, was taken in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft by the then Oakland Raiders. The 81st overall pick went on to play seven seasons with the organization, recording 99 starts over 100 games.

He was then traded to the Seattle Seahawks following the 2020 campaign in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Jackson proceeded to start in each of his 31 games for Seattle during the 2021 and 2022 season before being released on March 10, 2023.

Not only have the Panthers lost both of their starting guards in Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen for the season, but they also saw youngsters Chandler Zavala and Cade Mays exit with injuries in this past Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans.

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Brady Christensen posts heartfelt message after undergoing season-ending surgery

Panthers G Brady Christensen underwent biceps surgery on Thursday.

Brady Christensen’s 2023 campaign came to an end on Wednesday—as the Carolina Panthers placed the third-year left guard on injured reserve due to a biceps injury. On Thursday, he confirmed it in a message of his own.

Christensen addressed the unfortunate development for the first time this afternoon. He published the following post to his Instagram account, revealing that he underwent biceps surgery earlier in the day:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxLfYqgLG9P/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The 2021 third-round pick had played in each of Carolina’s 33 games over the past two seasons. He had also lined up for every single snap of the 2022 season until the finale, where he sustained a broken ankle in the Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Despite injuring his biceps during last Sunday’s opener, Christensen toughed it out to complete the contest. He registered 77 offensive snaps in the 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Per head coach Frank Reich—Cade Mays, Nash Jensen and Justin McCray are expected to compete for the new opening at left guard.

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Panthers not likely to move Chandler Zavala to LG

According to Panthers OC Thomas Brown, Chandler Zavala is likely to stay at RG—even with the season-ending injury to LG Brady Christensen.

The Carolina Panthers seemingly have a natural fix to replace Brady Christensen. But, according to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, that fix is becoming a natural elsewhere.

Brown spoke with reporters before Thursday’s practice and was asked about moving rookie Chandler Zavala to left guard in place of Christensen, who will miss the remainder of the season with a biceps injury. But he said Zavala, who manned the left side in college, will likely be staying right where he is.

“A couple reasons why,” Brown said of the choice to keep Zavala at right guard. “One, just obviously the continuity of what he’s already built there so far.”

The fourth-round pick played a steady left guard for North Carolina State University between 2021 and 2022. In fact, he played the first of those alongside current Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

But, with usual starting right guard Austin Corbett beginning the campaign on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, Zavala seized the opportunity there. His first NFL game, at least by Pro Football Focus’ measures, was a bit of rough one—having allowed eight pressures of quarterback Bryce Young in Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Per head coach Frank Reich—Cade Mays, Nash Jensen and Justin McCray are the team’s options to replace Christensen.

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Brady Christensen to miss remainder of 2023 season with biceps injury

According to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, the 2023 season is now over for Panthers G Brady Christensen.

The season is already over for Carolina Panthers guard Brady Christensen.

As first reported by Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday, the third-year lineman will miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign due to his biceps injury. Christensen was placed on injured reserve earlier this morning.

During his pre-practice press conference this afternoon, head coach Frank Reich told reporters that Christensen sustained the injury during this past Sunday’s season-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 26-year-old finished out the contest, playing in each of the offense’s 77 snaps.

Reich noted that there will be a trio of possible replacements in Christensen’s position. Those players include 2022 sixth-round pick Cade Mays, undrafted rookie Nash Jensen and veteran Justin McCray.

Along with Christensen, the Panthers are also without starting right guard Austin Corbett. Corbett, who tore his ACL in last year’s season finale against the New Orleans Saints, is currently on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

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Panthers OL Calvin Throckmorton could start against his former team in Week 2

With starting left guard Brady Christensen lost to an injury, Panthers OL Calvin Throckmorton could start against his former Saints team in Week 2:

Well that escalated quickly. There’s a chance that Calvin Throckmorton could start against his former New Orleans Saints teammates when they visit the Carolina Panthers on Monday night.

The Panthers lost starting left guard Brady Christensen to a biceps injury after their Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, with the team announcing Tuesday that he’ll go on injured reserve for at least the next four weeks. They were already shorthanded along the interior with veteran lineman Austin Corbett on injured reserve, meaning Throckmorton might be their best candidate to fill in at left guard (where he played 872 snaps for the Saints the last two years).

Carolina’s other options are not appealing. They could put backup center Cade Mays at left guard, but he primarily lined up on the right side in college and only logged a handful of snaps at right guard last year. The second-year pro doesn’t have much experience at that position.

If not Mays or Throckmorton, the Panthers would have to go with undrafted rookie Nash Jensen, who did start at left guard in college. But with another rookie starting at right guard in fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala, it’s not looking like a good matchup with a Saints defense that just bagged three sacks and two dozen quarterback pressures. The Saints and Panthers kick off on “Monday Night Football” Sept. 18 at 6:15 p.m. CT.

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