It’s taken a few years too long, but Taylor Moton’s game is finally starting to get the respect it deserves. The Panthers’ right tackle has generally flown under the radar despite blocking at a high level for both the pass and the run for three consecutive seasons since he became a full-time starter. Moton’s name is beginning to carry more weight, though.
The latest evidence we have of his rise is a new ranking of the top 11 offensive tackles in the NFL by Touchdown Wire. Moton came in at No. 8 on the list.
“Last season was his best, though, both in metrics and on film. While he did allow three sacks, he gave up no quarterback hits and 16 quarterback hurries in 657 pass-blocking reps. . . The Panthers have a lot of questions along their offensive line right now, but Moton isn’t one, as the team placed the franchise tag on the veteran, guaranteeing him $13,754 million for the 2021 season. A long-term extension should be high on the Panthers’ priority list.”
Most of the fault for not extending Moton has to fall on former general manager Marty Hurney’s shoulders. However, every week Moton plays without a long-term contract in place his pricetag will grow – and it’s already substantial. Lane Johnson’s mega-deal with the Eagles is an outlier, but high-end right tackles on average are earning around $10-$15 million per year on their contracts.
The Panthers have until July 15 to work out a deal with Moton or he’ll play out the 2021 season under the franchise tag.
