Tag: Ikem Ekwonu

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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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.

NFL analyst: Panthers could sign top free-agent LT, move Ikem Ekwonu to LG

Is former Pro Bowl LT Trent Brown a fit for the Panthers? And if he is, would that spark a move to LG for Ikem Ekwonu?

Could one move fix two problems for the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line?

While finding fits for this offseason’s top 50 free agents, ex-NFL safety and current ESPN analyst Matt Bowen proposed an interesting idea for Carolina. He believes the team could sign left tackle Trent Brown and move their usual blindside protector in Ikem Ekwonu to the guard position.

Bowen writes of Brown, who is listed at No. 41 in his rankings:

The offensive line in Carolina played subpar football in the 2023 season. But adding a 6-foot-8, 370-pounder to play the left tackle spot — while moving Ikem Ekwonu inside to guard — would help turn things around. Brown used his massive frame to absorb power rushers in New England last season, and despite his limited foot quickness, he’s better in space than you’d think. The Panthers took 65 sacks (tied for second most) last season, so improvements are a must.

62 of those 65 sacks were taken by rookie quarterback Bryce Young. The No. 1 overall pick got burned a few times by Ekwonu, who got burned a bit too many times by speed rushers off the edge.

Pro Football Focus charged Ekwonu with 11 sacks and 44 pressures over 684 opportunities in 2023, helping lead to an overall offensive grade of 67.4 and a pass-blocking grade of 62.3. By comparison, the former Pro Bowler Brown was responsible for three sacks and 17 pressures over 334 chances with grades of 80.2 and 72.8.

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20 Valentine’s Day cards for the special Panthers fan in your life

Spread the love with our 20 Panthers-themed Valentine’s Day cards!

Still looking for that special something for that special Carolina Panthers fan in your life?

Well, look no further.

Let’s spread the love this Valentine’s Day with 20 Panthers-themed cards that friends, family members and/or significant others will absolutely fall for!

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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Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ 2023 season

PFF’s best and worst grades for the Carolina Panthers in 2023

Pencils down, players!

With the 2023 test officially over, let’s see which Carolina Panthers received the highest and lowest grades from Pro Football Focus.

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 18 loss to Buccaneers

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn strapped on the seatbelt to close out the 2023 campaign.

Which Carolina Panthers did well on the final test of the 2023 season?

Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades from the Week 18 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Key matchups for Panthers vs. Buccaneers in Week 18

Between his last two games against the Panthers, Buccaneers WR Mike Evans has totaled 17 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns.

Can the 2-14 Carolina Panthers match up against the playoff-hopeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Sunday’s regular-season finale?

Here are three key battles that’ll help determine who comes out on top, and possibly who comes out with the NFC South, in Week 18:

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 17 loss to Jaguars

Believe it or not, LT Ikem Ekwonu was the highest-graded offensive player for the Panthers in Week 17.

Warning: The contents of this post may shock you.

Here are the Carolina Panthers’ best and worst Pro Football Focus grades from their Week 17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars: