Here are four young Panthers players who are ready to take on bigger roles in 2023
Last season during a Week 12 game against the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers star Derrick Brown was benched. The former No. 7 overall pick played poorly the week prior and was demoted as a result.
Since then, Brown has blossomed into one of the league’s best defensive tackles. This year, the third-year defender set career highs in quarterback hits, pressures, hurries, tackles and even interceptions. His 67 tackles tied Mike Rucker (2002) for the most by a Panthers defensive lineman in a single season. His seven pass deflections were a single-season-high and tied for second-most by a defensive lineman in the NFL this year with J.J. Watt (Arizona Cardinals) and Jeffery Simmons (Tennessee Titans).
Multiple times this season Brown credited his breakout year to him playing with a more calm mind. He stopped worrying about what others thought of his game and instead focused on being the best defensive tackle he could be.
There are several other reasons Brown had a career season. He entered training camp down more than 10 pounds and played at 320 pounds. Brown also sharpened his downhill game rather than playing lateral to the line of scrimmage. By pushing offensive linemen backward and playing with stronger hands, Brown improved his game and took on a much bigger role than he did during his first two pro seasons.
What young Panthers players can take a Brown-like leap in 2023? Here are four names to watch:
WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
Terrace Marshall Jr. established himself as a down-field threat during the second half of this season.
His large catch radius and vertical playmaking ability is why the Panthers drafted him No. 59 in the 2021 draft. He showed flashes of dominance this year, but can he become a steady No. 2 receiver opposite DJ Moore? That question will be answered when Carolina identifies its next head coach, offensive coordinator and long-term quarterback. But several advanced metrics suggest Marshall is prime for a breakout year next season.
Marshall’s 67.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 56th among qualified receivers. Football Outsiders ranked Marshall No. 10 in DVOA for receivers with less than 49 receptions. With a larger sample size, Marshall likely would’ve been a top-25 receiver, according to Football Outsiders.
The eye test agrees. Marshall made a spectacular 36-yard reception against the Lions in Week 16. The grab belongs on a poster. Marshall attacked the ball at its highest point and completed the catch by wrapping his arms around the ball and the defender’s right shoulder. His final catch of the season — a 21-yard reception against the Saints — set up kicker Eddy Piñeiro’s game-winning 42-yard field goal.
Explosive plays like that tease Marshall’s true ceiling. If the Panthers’ offense improves next season then Marshall is more than capable of eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards while doubling as the team’s best red-zone threat.
RB Chuba Hubbard
D’Onta Foreman earned much praise for his near 1,000-yard rushing season, but running back Chuba Hubbard had an equally impressive year.
Hubbard started the season behind Christian McCaffrey and Foreman. Then he battled a nagging three-game ankle injury during the middle of the season. Despite all that, Hubbard ranked 10th in DVOA among rushers with less than 100 carries according to Football Outsiders. He also proved more effective in third-and-short runs than Foreman, according to Sports Info Solutions.
The team hopes to re-sign Foreman this offseason. Regardless, Hubbard is capable of making an impressive Year 3 jump next season. He’s an ideal complement to Foreman’s downhill style.
Hubbard proved himself as a workhorse running back at Oklahoma State. He hasn’t been asked to carry a backfield in Carolina yet. But thanks to Hubbard, the Panthers should be comfortable with its backfield even if Foreman cannot be retained.
S Jeremy Chinn
It was a turbulent season for Jeremy Chinn. He played in only 11 games due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4. Chinn made 70 tackles (51 solo), one sack and defended six passes. His streak of 100-plus-tackle campaigns ended in Year 3.
The Panthers’ defense missed his versatility. In Week 5, 49ers running backs and tight ends combined for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Chinn is one of the most athletic safeties in the league but was exposed as a slot defender in coverage too often this season. He’s best near the line of scrimmage defending the run and covering tight ends or running backs. Chinn led the team in tackles in 2021 and was a first-time team captain this season.
He’s eligible for a lucrative contract extension this offseason but pinpointing his value is difficult. Chinn would benefit from an offseason of recovery before entering the final year of his rookie contract.
DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Yetur Gross-Matos quietly had a career season in 2022.
The third-year defensive end did not take the superstar leap Brown did, but he made key improvements that should bode well for next season.
For the first time in his career, he started every game. Over his first two seasons, Gross-Matos missed seven games due to a variety of injuries. This season he beat nagging injuries by attacking his rehab and pushing through pain. Often a sign of a young player growing into a veteran is how they respond to playing injured.
His availability helped Gross-Matos set career highs in quarterback hits, pressures and hurries.
There is still more to be desired for Gross-Matos, who the team drafted in the second round out of Penn State in 2020. He’s inconsistent against the run and only had 2.5 sacks this season. The team was hopeful Gross-Matos could help offset losing Hasson Reddick’s team-high 11 sacks in 2021. But the Panthers team sack total regressed from 39 sacks to 35 this past season.
Gross-Matos improving upon his high points and playing with more consistency next season would help Carolina shore up its defensive line without having to make any major investments.
