Carolina Panthers: Final 53-man roster prediction for 2021
The Carolina Panthers are entering year two with Matt Rhule as the head coach, so what will the 53-man roster he wants to ride with look like?
It’s a new direction for the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 season. The question will be if it’s the right one, specifically under center.
Sam Darnold just never seemed to get off on the right foot with the New York Jets. So, naturally, the Panthers pulled off a trade for him this offseason to fill their void at the position. Has head coach Matt Rhule found his quarterback of the present and the future? Time will tell in what should be a fascinating year for Darnold and the franchise.
But who else will join the former first-round pick? We have final predictions for the Panthers 53-man roster.
Carolina Panthers 53-man roster prediction
Quarterbacks: Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker
As mentioned, Darnold is in full focus for the Panthers this season and we got some looks at Walker last year and in the preseason. This is a high-variance quarterback room but Carolina is clearly confident after cutting Will Grier.
Running Backs: Christian McCaffrey, Chubba Hubbard, Reggie Bonafon
Christian McCaffrey is such a dynamic weapon for the Carolina Panthers. The pressure that the defense is put under in coverage, or when Christian McCaffrey is running with the football.
Wide Receivers: Robbie Anderson, D.J. Moore, Terrace Marshall Jr., David Moore, Keith Kirkwood, Shi Smith
Robbie Anderson sure has found a home with the Carolina Panthers after leaving the New York Jets. Along with D.J. Moore they form quite a formidable 1-2 punch and should see more downfield opportunities with Sam Darnold at the helm
Tight Ends: Dan Arnold, Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas
The Carolina Panthers do not really utilize the tight end that much in the passing game, so it’s best to look elsewhere for fantasy football.
Offensive Line: Cameron Erving, Matt Paradis, John Miller, Taylor Moton, John Elfein, Trent Scott, Brady Christensen, Sam Tecklenburg, Deonte Brown
It’s a good thing Carolina retained Moton this offseason. This unit isn’t a disaster by any stretch but it could undoubtedly stand to be upgraded. The team hopes rookie Brady Christensen can be a plus-asset.
Defensive Line: Brian Burns, Derrick Brown, DaQuan Jones, Morgan Fox, Marquis Haynes, Darryl Johnson
Burns has star potential while the team traded a sixth-round pick for Johnson on Monday
Linebackers: Shaq Thompson, Hasson Reddick, Jermaine Carter, Clay Johnston, Julian Stanford
In the second year under Rhule, Thompson will be called upon to take a big step forward in the 2021 season as an unquestioned leader.
Cornerbacks: Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, A.J. Bouye, Rashaan Melvin, Keith Taylor, Stantley Thomas-Oliver
There was a lot written of the Carolina Panthers’ decision to draft Jaycee Horn. However what if they had him ranked higher than the available quarterbacks at their selection? Don’t forget the receivers in the NFC South: Michael Thomas, Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Calvin Ridley. That is a lot of offensive firepower on the other side of the field to contend with.
Safeties: Jeremy Chinn, Juston Burris, Kenny Robinson, Sam Franklin, Sean Chandler
As a rookie last year, Chinn was a stud with extreme versatility and playmaking. The Panthers surely want to see more of that but also for someone to emerge beside him at safety.
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Specialists: Ryan Santoso (K), Joseph Charlton (P), J.J. Jansen (LS)
Ryan Santoso is a relative newcomer who is in Carolina after the struggles of Joey Slye. Hopefully he and Charlton can provide some much-needed stability in both aspects of the kicking game for the Panthers.