The NFL officially opened voting for the 2023 Pro Bowl on Wednesday. And if you’re a Carolina Panthers fan looking to give out some well-deserved consideration for your guys, we got you covered.
Here are four Panthers that are worthy of your early votes.
4
CB Jaycee Horn
What makes Horn’s case a bit difficult is that he missed a pair of games. Otherwise, the seatbelt has been routinely strapped.
The second-year standout has allowed a passer rating of 23.1, which ranks first amongst all starting cornerbacks. And don’t expect that number to change much, because Horn has scared off opposing passing games. He’s been targeted just 24 times over 281 coverage snaps, and picked off two of those tries.
3
RG Austin Corbett
Here’s something you’ve probably never heard . . .
The entire Panthers offensive line deserves some recognition—so props to left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, left guard Brady Christensen, centers Pat Elflein and Bradley and Bozeman and right tackle Taylor Moton. But if we’re going with one representative, it’s Corbett.
A free-agent signing from this past spring, the fifth-year hog molly has been money in 2022—as he’s allowed zero sacks and just eight pressures in 321 opportunities. Corbett is also favorably ranked by Pro Football Focus, who have graded his pass-blocking at a 77.4 (seventh amongst guards with at least 500 snaps) and his run-blocking at a 69.4 (also seventh).
2
DE Brian Burns
Burns was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season and is well on his way to a second.
Not only is his sack total of 7.0 the sixth-highest in the league, but it also has him on pace for a career-high of around 12.0. Additionally, his 41 pressures rank fifth amongst all edge defenders.
1
DT Derrick Brown
It took three seasons, but Brown has become what the Panthers drafted him to be—an absolute wrecking ball.
2020’s seventh overall selection has emerged here in 2022, having already notched a new career-high in tackles (48). And as we visit our pals at PFF once again—he’s graded sixth amongst all starting interior linemen in run defense (81.9), 10th in pass rushing (77.7) and sits eighth in stops (21).
Pssst . . .
Have some extra space left on your ballot? Here are a few more Panthers to keep in mind:
- LB Frankie Luvu: 32 stops (eighth amongst linebackers), 14 pressures (third)
- LB Shaq Thompson: 77 tackles (13th in NFL), 34 stops (third amongst linebackers)
- P Johnny Hekker: 21 punts inside the 20-yard line (second in NFL), 43.5-yard net punting average (seventh)
