Panthers rookie Greg Little has gotten mixed reviews for his first preseason game against the Bears. Little has been running with the second-string offensive line at practice but he got the start over Daryl Williams this week.
So, how did he do? There doesn’t seem to be much of a consensus. Some fans think he held his own, while others are saying he got worked. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus approved of his performance. PFF says he only allowed two pressures and had a strong pass protection rating (83.1).
Seeing is believing, though. Let’s take a look at the tape and see how Little fared against the backups for the best defense in the league. Here is every pass blocking snap for Little against Chicago in the first half.
Little was an excellent pass blocker in college and it’s the main reason why the Panthers made him their second-round pick with the hopes he would be the franchise left tackle they have been looking for since Jordan Gross retired.
We can’t assume much based on one preseason game, but Little should be able to hold his own in pass protection at this level. The question that may determine his ceiling is how much he can develop as a run blocker.
