You may be able to say that the Carolina Panthers made an addition or two on offense last weekend. So, it’s time to update their outlook.
Here, with the 2023 NFL draft all wrapped up, are our projections for the team’s current offensive depth chart.
Under center
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | 4th string |
| QB | Andy Dalton | Bryce Young | Matt Corral | Jacob Eason |
Okay, Scott Fitterer, we’ll play along.
Carolina’s general manager has stated that until Young is sufficiently prepared to take over under center, Dalton is “the starter right now heading into the season.” So until the extremely pro-ready No. 1 overall pick “earns it,” we’ll pencil the veteran in atop the group . . . for now.
Backfield
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | 4th string | 5th string |
| RB | Miles Sanders | Chuba Hubbard | Raheem Blackshear | Spencer Brown | Cam Peoples |
| FB | Giovanni Ricci |
Other than adding the undrafted free agent in Peoples, nothing has changed here as a result of the draft. Hubbard is still the No. 2 to Sanders’ No. 1.
Pass catchers
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | 4th string |
| WR | Terrace Marshall Jr. | Laviska Shenault Jr. | Damiere Byrd | Derek Wright |
| WR | DJ Chark | Jonathan Mingo | Preston Williams | |
| SWR | Adam Thielen | Shi Smith | C.J. Saunders | Josh Vann |
| TE | Hayden Hurst | Ian Thomas | Tommy Tremble | Stephen Sullivan |
Like Young, Mingo will have to work his way to the top. But unlike Young, the second-rounder has a steeper uphill battle.
If the potent 6-foot-2, 220-pounder does crack into a featured role, though, he could be used interchangeably with Thielen as an outside presence and a power slot.
Offensive line
| Position | 1st string | 2nd string | 3rd string | 4th string |
| LT | Ikem Ekwonu | Larnel Coleman | ||
| LG | Brady Christensen | Chandler Zavala | Deonte Brown | Nash Jensen |
| C | Bradley Bozeman | Sam Tecklenburg | ||
| RG | Justin McCray | Cade Mays | Austin Corbett* | |
| RT | Taylor Moton | Ricky Lee |
The little asterisk next to Corbett is there to indicate that the starting right guard is expected to miss some time at the beginning of the season. So, who would take his place while he heals from the torn ACL?
McCray and Zavala are the two favorites, at least as of this writing. And although plenty of you are probably more eager to watch the local fourth-rounder, McCray’s experience—as both a pro and a right guard—outweighs Zavala’s chances for now.
