Tag: Taylor Moton

Panthers 2021 offensive line review: What’s the plan at left tackle?

The Panthers may have even less stability on the left side of the line than last year, and that’s saying a lot.

Ahead of training camp, we’re taking a look at each position on the Carolina Panthers’ 2021 squad, evaluating the changes since 2020 and projecting the unit’s outlook for this season.

Following our evaluations of the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, we’ll turn to the final position group on offense: the offensive line.

Major changes: Filling holes up front

One of the first (and possibly worst) free agency signings by GM Scott Fitterer in Carolina was veteran journeyman Cameron Erving, who now projects to be the team’s starter at LT. That could end in disaster though, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as their lowest-graded offensive lineman in the entire league over the last three seasons.

The Panthers have also tried to address the offensive line via the NFL draft, most notably with then-GM Marty Hurney’s trade up for Greg Little in the 2019 draft. Now, Little’s slow development and injury-plagued career look to put him on the roster bubble, replaced by anyone from a veteran to a rookie.

With the selection of Little now going down as one of Hurney’s worst mistakes, Fitterer took his shot at filling the hole at LT by drafting Brady Christensen in the third round of this year’s draft. Christensen started three years at left tackle for the pro-style offense at BYU and even became PFF’s highest-graded offensive lineman ever in his senior season.

The Panthers also addressed a less significant need at guard through the draft, selecting the outstanding run blocker Deonte Brown in the sixth round and signing undrafted free agent and Senior Bowl standout David Moore. They also signed veteran Pat Elflein to a three-year deal.

The big question: Will the Panthers finally find stability at left tackle?

The Panthers have struggled to fill the left tackle position since All-Pro Jordan Gross retired in 2013. Over the last eight years, the team has tried out plenty of short-term solutions, only to lose them to free agency, poor performance and plenty of injuries. This offseason has seen much of the same after the team let Russell Okung walk.

Unless Erving turns around his entire six-year career to become the long-term solution in Carolina, the team will be looking at an unproven option to protect Sam Darnold’s blindside.

The only exception to that comes if Matt Rhule tries out the team’s most consistent lineman on the opposite side of his natural position. Taylor Moton, who signed a four-year, $71.25 million extension with the team less than an hour before the franchise tag deadline, has already taken practice reps at left tackle this offseason. The move wouldn’t come without risk, as the first player to try out that switch in the post-Gross era— Byron Bell— was not re-signed by Carolina the year following that campaign.

Better or worse? Worse

Carolina may have even less stability on the left side of the line than last year, and that’s saying a lot. Other than Moton, the rest of the offensive line group has either remained the same or gotten thinner. Even though Okung’s 2020 campaign was plagued with injury, replacing him with Erving is a definitive downgrade. Now, the team’s future at left tackle could rest on the shoulders of Christensen, though we expect him to kick off his career as a rotational lineman with the Panthers. The interior is similar to last year when the entire group ranked nearly dead last in pass protection.

The major win for the group was the extension of Moton, but in terms of productivity, we can’t expect much more from the fifth-year lineman who allowed just three sacks playing 100% of offensive snaps in 2020.

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Analysis: Taylor Moton deal provides Panthers with much-needed stability

Taylor Moton’s price tag is hefty, but it’s worth it as the Panthers look for their keepers during this rebuild.

Other than pure skill and talent, continuity is the key factor in building a successful offensive line. And for what has seemed like decades up to this point, the Carolina Panthers haven’t had any of that . . . until today.

On Thursday afternoon, the team announced a four-year, $72 million extension with right tackle Taylor Moton. The deal was not only timely on  this particular day, as the agreement narrowly beat the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline for contract talks with franchise-tagged players, but timely in the organization’s search for stability amidst a fluid rebuilding process.

Although their offensive front is far from a finished product, the Panthers have identified and now locked in an undeniably valuable piece of the unit. Moton, who turns 27 years old in a little over a month, has consistently proven to be their most reliable blocker as well as one of the game’s best players at the position over his four NFL seasons.

From the jump in 2017, the 6-foot-5, 325-pounder has displayed a well-rounded skill set that helped bring him to this payday. Moton’s versatile technique, noticeable foot quickness and ability to dissect his assignments—just to name a few of his strengths—has made him a trusted presence in the passing game and, even more so, as a road grader.

For Moton, the extension makes him one the richest offensive linemen in the sport today. His annual take of $18 million ties him with Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson and Las Vegas’ Kolton Miller for the sixth-highest yearly earnings amongst all tackles. That amount also puts him second only to New Orleans’ Ryan Ramczyk in yearly contract earnings for the right tackle position.

For Carolina, this step towards some semblance of security was necessary, even at that hefty price tag. There may be one, maybe two, long-term players currently down the rest of that line.

Left tackle will be a Sophie’s choice between 2019 second-round bust Greg Little and the inefficient veteran in Cameron Erving, who will now be on his fourth team in seven pro seasons. The left guard battle could prove Dennis Daley is a solid depth piece for the future in his third season, because it’s likely the newly-signed Pat Elflein won’t be.

Matt Paradis, at 31 years old, has been up and down since joining the team and will be a free agent in 2022. And we may see 2021 third-rounder Brady Christensen have to break through early at right guard with John Miller, David Moore and Deonte Brown making up for an unproven crop there as well.

So, use whatever metaphor you’d like to describe the historically volatile state of the Panthers’ offensive line—may it be a wide set of revolving doors or a row of turnstiles. But use them while you can, because Thursday’s investment in Moton may ignite the long-awaited overhaul of one of the league’s most unstable position groups in recent memory.

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Panthers and OT Taylor Moton agree to 4-year, $72M extension

The Carolina Panthers and tackle Taylor Moton have agreed to a four-year contract worth $72 million.

The Carolina Panthers can count on a solid bookend through the middle of the decade.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Panthers and tackle Taylor Moton agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract extension on Thursday. The move also provides for $43 million guaranteed at signing — a welcomed payday for the former 2017 second-round pick from Western Michigan.

The deal also helps the Panthers and Moton avoid the franchise tag. If the deal didn’t take place before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the 6-5, 325-pound tackle would have played the entire season under the tag. Carolina and Moton’s representation would have also been precluded from contract talks until the end of the 2021 campaign.

Moton has been active for every game of his career. Starting in 2018, Moton manned the right tackle spot and has not missed a single start.

Among right tackles, Moton’s $18 million per year is tied with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson for the second-highest in the NFL. Only the New Orleans Saints’ Ryan Ramczyk has a higher average at $19.2 million annually.

No franchise tagged players expected to sign extensions by Thursday deadline

Report: No franchise tagged players are expected to land long-term extensions by today’s deadline:

It appears that Thursday will just be another day in the NFL, despite it being an important deadline on the calendar.

By 4 p.m. on July 15, NFL teams and franchise-tagged players must work out a long-term extension. If that comes and goes, those players will play the upcoming 2021 season that one-year deal which comes with a heavy price tag.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, no such extensions are expected to be announced by the coming deadline. In total, seven players had the tag placed on them by their respective teams earlier this offseason.

The franchise tag is a way to give teams and players more time to work out a long-term contract beyond the start of free agency in the spring. This offseason that didn’t exactly go according to plan.

Here’s the full list of all seven players that are expected to play on the franchise tag in 2021:

Panthers still interested in extending OT Taylor Moton

According to Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, Carolina still has interest but Moton is prepared to play under the tag, so there’s work to be done.

The Panthers still want to get a long-term deal done with their star right tackle Taylor Moton. Time is running out, though. The team has until 4:00 p.m. ET tomorrow to sign Moton to a new contract, otherwise he’ll play out the 2021 season under the franchise tag, which will cost them $13,754,000.

According to Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, Carolina still has interest but Moton is prepared to play under the tag, so there’s work to be done.

We’ve been banging the table for a Moton extension for at least a year and a half here at Panthers Wire. It’s clear that he’s earned all the money that’s coming to him and is one of the game’s best right tackles.

So, what’s the holdup?

It’s worth mentioning that Moton was brought in by a previous general manager (two GMs ago, in fact), so it’s possible that Scott Fitterer and Matt Rhule don’t value him as much as Dave Gettleman might have. If that seems like a stupid reason not to extend a quality player that’s because it is.

It’s unlikely that the Panthers don’t value Moton or think he’s not worth keeping around. However, there’s a good chance they’re far apart on the numbers. According to Spotrac, Moton’s market value is now nearly $20 million per year. That’s a massive investment, even for a very accomplished offensive tackle.

Moton should get his money, but it sounds like Carolina has a backup plan in the works in case Moton winds up walking in free agency.

When the Panthers used a third-round pick on offensive lineman Brady Christensen, we assumed they’d be slotting him as a left tackle. After all, that’s the position he played his whole career at BYU. Christensen thrived on the blindside, only allowing three pressures and one sack last season.

However, it sounds like Rhule and Fitterer see Christensen as more of a right tackle. If that’s the case, the only way he’ll see a significant snap count is by replacing Moton.

Hopefully that’s just a negotiating tactic, or the Panthers have something else in mind. If Christensen develops into a solid starting tackle and Moton sticks around, a major piece of the puzzle for building a contender will be in place.

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Who is still on franchise tag with extension deadline approaching?

Who is still on franchise tag with extension deadline approaching?

The NFL is one week away from a key deadline for a few teams in the league. In total, seven players had the franchise tag placed on them by their respective teams who have yet to work out a long-term deal.

Ahead of that July 15 date, here are all seven players still slated to play under the franchise tag in 2021:

Panthers spending an average amount on offensive line for 2021 NFL season

“Nobody ever said that winning was cheap.”

“Nobody ever said that winning was cheap.”

So said Tom Cruise as sports agent Jerry Maguire (1996) as he attempted to drive up the price for one of his clients. That principle applies pretty well to the salary cap era in the NFL. Teams have to invest their resources wisely, but getting stingy usually winds up in disaster once the games begin. Nowhere does an imbalanced roster or imperfect team-building plan become more apparent than in the trenches.

Heading into the 2021 season, the Carolina Panthers have a Jekyll and Hyde act going on at the line of scrimmage. While their defensive line looks to be their toughest unit on paper, the other side could be in for rough times.

Carolina’s current offensive line is being ranked at or near the bottom of most sites’ lists for all 32 units across the league. It’s not difficult to see why. Aside from Taylor Moton at right tackle, there’s no other above-average starters up front. That means three or four OL positions could wind up being a liability during the season, which is far from ideal for a team starting a quarterback in Sam Darnold who may be the NFL’s worst passer outside the packet.

Throwing money at the problem might not solve it, but it’s difficult to see how it would hurt at this juncture.

According to Spotrac, the Panthers are spending $33,442,862 on their offensive line this year. That puts them at No. 17 in the NFL, snugly fit between the Patriots and the Lions right in the middle of the pack.

Taylor Moton’s franchise tag ($13,754,000) accounts for the biggest piece of the pie, followed by the last year of center Matt Paradis’ contract ($5,636,666). After those two, there’s a huge dropoff to the next-most expensive offensive linemen. Cameron Erving has a cap hit of $3,490,000, Greg Little will cost $2,083,343 and Trent Scott comes in at $1,650,000. (Salary numbers are via Over the Cap).

Offensive line coach Pat Meyer could try to be creative. Perhaps trying Brady Christensen at right tackle and sliding Moton over to the blindside is worth considering. Inside, giving younger options like Dennis Daley and Deonte Brown a chance in case guys like Pat Elflein and John Miller bust might also help. Meyer only has so many pieces to work with, though. It would be difficult for any OL coach to find a solution that works with the roster where it stands right now.

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Ranking the NFC South offensive lines: How low do the Panthers go?

If we’re being polite, we’ll just say the situation along the offensive line is a fluctuating one for the Carolina Panthers.

Sorry to trigger you Carolina Panthers fans out there, but offensive line is the next spot up in our NFC South rankings. So just take a deep breath.

Now, we know this particular position group has been a bugaboo here for much too long. But, in the second year of the Matt Rhule rebuild, has it begun to improve?

And if the offensive line has improved, how low do they go in these divisional ranks? Let’s find out.

Cardinals to have 6 games vs. top 4 tackles in NFL

Arizona Cardinals pass rusher Chandler Jones will have his hands full against four of the leagues 11 best tackles this year.

The Arizona Cardinals have one of the best tackles in the NFL in D.J. Humphries. He ranks seventh in the NFL, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar.

The Cardinals also will face a number of the top tackles in the league on their 2021 NFL schedule.

They face four of the top 11 in six different games.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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What does Ryan Ramczyk resetting the RT market mean for Taylor Moton, Panthers?

By lunchtime, that idea was obselete because the Saints have given Ryan Ramczyk a massive extension, worth $96 million over five years.

This morning, we wrote about Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton finally getting some respect as part of Touchdown Wire’s ranking of the top 11 OTs in the NFL going into 2021.

On the subject of comps for a contract extension, we called Lane Johnson’s deal with the Eagles an outlier. It averages $18 million per year and there was a significant gap between Johnson and the league’s second-highest paid right tackle (Jack Conlin’s deal with the Browns averages $14 million per year).

By lunchtime, that idea was obselete because the Saints have given Ryan Ramczyk a massive extension, worth $96 million over five years. It includes $60 million guaranteed.

That comes out to over $19 million per year, resetting the market at this position.

What does it mean for the Panthers and Moton?

For one thing, Carolina’s pass rush will suffer. Ramczyk is an elite talent at his position and this extension was well-deserved, as big as those numbers sound. Pro Football Focus currently has him ranked third among all OTs, only trailing two superstar left tackles in Trent Williams and David Bakhtiari. As long as Ramczyk is healthy, getting pressure on New Orleans’ right flank will be difficult. Ramczyk is also a terrific run blocker, helping make Alvin Kamara’s job easier.

As far as the market goes, this extension should move the needle in the right direction for Moton and the other right tackles in line for a payday. If no long-term deal is struck within the next two weeks, Moton will play under the franchise tag this year. Matching Ramczyk’s guarantees and average will be tough, but if Moton continues balling throughout 2021 it’s not impossible.

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