Carolina Panthers Right Tackle Status
Taylor Moton will miss the start of the season - how will his absence impact the offensive line?
On the eve of training camp’s veteran report day, the Panthers and their fanbase were hit with some tough news. Stalwart right tackle Taylor Moton was diagnosed with blood clots, and is slated to miss some time.
Star CB Jaycee Horn also opens camp on the NFI (non-football injury) list with a foot laceration. Horn is expected to return at some point during camp, however.
Moton’s timetable is a bit different. Blood clots are not something to scoff at, and can often require prolonged treatment.
The good news is the team reported that they found the issue in late June. Moton is reported to have responded well to treatment, and is receiving daily assessments from the team’s staff.
With Moton slated to miss training camp and at least the beginning of the regular season, the question of right tackle has appeared for the Panthers.
Carolina already was slated to have some left tackle camp battles between Rasheed Walker and first round pick Monroe Freeling. Now, they’ll have to evaluate the other side of the line as well.
Potential Starters at Right Tackle
The aforementioned camp battle between Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling will likely determine the Week 1 starter at left tackle, but it could also show who the starting right tackle could be.
It stands to reason that Walker, who has started across the offensive line in the NFL and Freeling, who was cross-trained at both left and right tackle in spring camp, could both see time starting on the right side of the line.
I wouldn’t put it past the team to start whoever loses the left tackle battle at right tackle - Walker and Freeling are probably the best pure tackles on the roster.
Carolina also recently brought back Brady Christensen, who has had experience playing at all five spots along the line. Christensen, who played tackle in college, could step in as the early favorite to play at right tackle if the team wants to bring Freeling along solely as a guy on the left side.
Stone Forsythe was a name the Panthers signed early in free agency this March, though fans may not want to see him suit him for many starting reps if they can help it.
After those four, the names currently on the Panthers roster don’t really track to be great options to start at right tackle.
Carolina could look into the free agent market, which currently has a handful of veterans that could sign one-year deals, similar to what Rasheed Walker did back in March.
More-experienced names like Jonah Williams, Taylor Decker, Jack Conklin, and Cam Robinson currently top the OL free agent market.
Each of those players would likely command a significant deal for a July/August free agent signing, but the Panthers may be in a position where they feel as though it’s necessary to add such player(s).
What does that mean for the rest of the OL?
As it stands, Carolina looks to be without their incumbent starters at both left (Ickey Ekonwu, patellar tendon) and right (Moton) tackles to start the year.
Assuming the outcome of the Walker/Freeling left tackle battle also produces the starting right tackle, Carolina’s OL depth takes a significant hit.
After those two, it’s really just Brady Christensen who you’d feel good about stepping in as a swing tackle, and Brady has filled in more for the interior OL depth, which is also lacking.
Dan Morgan and his staff were prudent in adding two OL in the draft and signing Walker in free agency, but the depth of the OL is already low. Even if the Panthers don’t want to give out top dollar to some of the earlier names, it’s probably worth investing in more overall OL depth before the season starts.
With both Ickey Ekwonu and now Taylor Moton expected to be absent to start the year, Carolina’s OL depth is off to an almost catastrophic start - and we’re still two weeks away from even the start of the preseason.
We’re wishing Taylor Moton a healthy and hasty recovery, but as it pertains to the current Panthers roster, the team may have some reinforcements they need to find before a lengthy training camp and preseason.
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