The Panthers are running out of room for error, and the latest warning sign is the same one that has haunted them all season: the offensive line.
After Carolina’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, CBS Sports’ John Breech handed the Panthers a ‘C’ grade for the week and pointed directly at the protection in front of Bryce Young. With right tackle Taylor Moton and left guard Damien Lewis both out, the line took another hit, and Young paid for it. He was sacked six times by Green Bay, continuing a stretch that has put Carolina in a brutal spot.
“The Panthers' offensive line has struggled to protect Young all year and it only got uglier on Thursday night with two more starters out (RT Taylor Moton and LG Damien Lewis). Young tends to struggle when he's under pressure and he faced a lot of pressure while facing a Packers team that sacked him six times. If the Panthers can't figure out how to protect Young, this offense might struggle for the rest of the season.”
That concern isn’t just about one bad night. Over the last two games, Young has been sacked 11 times, a number that simply can’t hold up for long. The Panthers already have enough issues without adding constant pressure to the quarterback mix, especially with a roster that doesn’t have the weapons or defense to absorb it.
Carolina has now dropped two straight games against NFC opponents, and both losses have come with the same ugly theme: mistakes of their own making. The pass protection has been shaky, the turnovers have piled up, and the pass rush has offered little help on the other side of the ball. That combination has the Panthers sliding into a dangerous stretch as they head into Week 9 against the Denver Broncos.
At this point, the offensive line is the biggest problem by far. It has been bad all year and, according to Breech, it may be getting worse.
Firing offensive line coach Joe Gilbert now would be a late move, but Carolina still has to do something to shake up the group. Otherwise, a second straight playoff appearance starts looking a lot less likely.
In Other News...
Panthers Trade Buzz Centers On Bryce Youngs Urgent Need
The Panthers need for another reliable pass-catching option has only grown as injuries have thinned out the group around Bryce Young, and that has pushed a familiar name into the conversation. According to Steven Ruiz of FOX Sports, Carolina has been linked to Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, who has reportedly asked for a trade, with the idea being that he could be available for a pair of 2027 fourth-round picks.
For a team trying to give Young a better chance to settle in and keep the offense moving, the fit is easy to see on paper. Downs is the kind of addition that would make sense for a roster looking for help now and a little more stability in the passing game, but the report is still speculative, and there is no confirmation the Panthers are actually moving on it. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Tough Jackson Powers-Johnson Gamble Up Front
The Panthers are kicking around another possible fix for an offensive line that has had to stay flexible all season, and Jackson Powers-Johnson has surfaced as a name worth watching. The Raiders lineman has experience at both guard and center, which gives him the kind of versatility Carolina tends to value when it is trying to patch together protection and keep its options open up front.
Of course, the appeal comes with a catch. Powers-Johnson recently lost his starting job in Las Vegas, so any trade talk would have to start with figuring out why that happened before Carolina even considers sending over a late draft pick. It is the sort of gamble teams make when they believe a change of scenery could unlock value, but for the Panthers it would still require a careful read on whether the upside is real or just a tempting roster-flier. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Have A Real Trade Answer For Their Biggest Defensive Problem
The Panthers defensive issues have been piling up for weeks, and the run defense has been at the center of it. Injuries in the secondary have only made life harder on a unit that has already struggled to get stops, and the decision to fire defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero underscored just how urgent the problem has become as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
Jaelan Sieler has emerged as a name worth watching if Carolina decides it needs help up front. The Dolphins defensive end would fit the kind of move the Panthers need most right now, adding another body with the potential to steady the front and take some pressure off a defense that has been stretched thin. Whether Carolina actually follows through is the question hanging over the next few days. [Read more 🡒]