Carolina Panthers: Taylor Moton helps rebuild the offensive line
Adding Taylor Moton in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft should have a long term impact on the Carolina Panthers front line.
The Carolina Panthers went into the 2017 NFL Draft with a strategy in mind: rebuild. The team has shown that it has many of the pieces needed to build towards a championship level organization. However, there were places where gaps were beginning to show through. The offensive line was one of those areas.
To correct it, the Panthers went to add depth with their third round pick in Taylor Moton, a player that may not have an immediate impact, but has value long term.
The Panthers struggled on the offensive front, in 2016. On paper, the offense seemed to be stacked in a number of areas. However, that result didn’t come to fruition. One of the reasons is due to the Panthers inability to keep a healthy offensive line on the field. By the end of the year, players were shuffled to new positions and the injured reserve continued to feature some of the most important players of the unit protecting Newton.
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Adding Moton gives the Panthers some immediate and long term flexibility in the coming years. Right out the gate, Moton adds size at a massive 6-5 and 319 pounds. That size translates into his ability to be an effective run blocker. This is an area where the Panthers were lacking and it showed in the lack of production by the running core, and also in the frequent hits that Newton received from opposing defenses.
At the same time, that size plays into Moton’s need to develop quickness and better footwork. Expect the Panthers to work on that with their second-round draft pick, who could see playing time early this year.
With drafting Moton so early, the bottom line points towards the Panthers need for depth in the area. Michael Oher, Ryan Kalil and Gino Gradkowski are each important catalysts to this team’s success and all of them ended up on the injured reserve last season. Carolina signed Ryan’s younger brother, Matt, but he hasn’t been a big time producer at left tackle save for one season.
Other than that, Carolina hasn’t made any other moves to secure additions to the offensive line. This gives Moton the opportunity to be a productive member of the offensive line in the coming season.
Another benefit to bringing Moton into the fold is his experience in playing both guard and tackle. He started as a right tackle, but also has the chops to perform at right guard. That flexibility allows the Panthers to find a way to fit Moton into the lineup to compensate for injuries or poor performance as needed.
Draft projections presented Moton as a package deal with the ability to float to multiple positions, which is a benefit that the Panthers should take advantage of as they look to rebuild a decimated front line.
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This offseason as they looked to rebuild, the Panthers found the weapons that can help push this offense in the right direction and players that can become cornerstones for the future. Moton fits into a space that the Carolina Panthers need and his presence is expected to impact this unit almost immediately.