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Great teams reinforce their roster strengths each offseason—and the Carolina Panthers seem to have that part of the puzzle down.
If not for two significant investments at offensive tackle this offseason, the the reigning NFC South champions might already be in grave danger for the 2026 season. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is still recovering from the torn patellar tendon he sustained in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams while right tackle Taylor Moton will miss significant time for the first time in his career due to a blood clot.
That's a real shame—because a healthy Moton is Carolina's most consistent and reliable starter. Going into his 10th year in the NFL, he's been ranked the 20th-best offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus.
Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick note:
It's no small thing to still be performing at a high level a decade after entering the league. Moton is an enormous part of this team's offensive identity, and there's a good chance his absence will be felt acutely on the field.
With Moton sidelined, the team's first-round draft pick Monroe Freeling will be taking his place in the starting lineup. While Freeling mostly played left tackle during his time at Georgia, he also has some experience at right tackle. Freeling is an elite athlete, but likely needs some time to refine his technique and may struggle early on.
Meanwhile, free-agent pickup Rasheed Walker will be starting at left tackle in place of Ekwonu.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers OT Taylor Moton earns top-20 ranking going into Year 10
Continue reading...
If not for two significant investments at offensive tackle this offseason, the the reigning NFC South champions might already be in grave danger for the 2026 season. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is still recovering from the torn patellar tendon he sustained in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams while right tackle Taylor Moton will miss significant time for the first time in his career due to a blood clot.
That's a real shame—because a healthy Moton is Carolina's most consistent and reliable starter. Going into his 10th year in the NFL, he's been ranked the 20th-best offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus.
Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick note:
It's no small thing to still be performing at a high level a decade after entering the league. Moton is an enormous part of this team's offensive identity, and there's a good chance his absence will be felt acutely on the field.
With Moton sidelined, the team's first-round draft pick Monroe Freeling will be taking his place in the starting lineup. While Freeling mostly played left tackle during his time at Georgia, he also has some experience at right tackle. Freeling is an elite athlete, but likely needs some time to refine his technique and may struggle early on.
Meanwhile, free-agent pickup Rasheed Walker will be starting at left tackle in place of Ekwonu.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers OT Taylor Moton earns top-20 ranking going into Year 10
Continue reading...
