Who are Panthers’ 2024 MVPs on offense, defense and special teams? Carolina teammates vote
.JPG "Carolina Panthers helmet sits on the bench during an NFL football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)")
The final week of the regular season, especially for a team not making the playoffs, is a time of reflection.
For the Carolina Panthers (4-12), there wasn’t a ton to celebrate in 2024. But the team did double its win total from 2023 before Christmas, and the future does seem somewhat bright for head coach Dave Canales and GM Dan Morgan and their respective crews.
However, with the season about to wrap up, The Observer went around the Panthers’ locker room to get its perspective on the team’s performance this year.
The Observer polled 64 players over the past two weeks to get their votes for the offensive, defensive and special teams MVPs of 2024.
As with last year’s Processing Blue awards, players had to be on the 53-man roster, practice squad and/or injured reserve for at least four weeks this season to receive a vote. The players couldn’t vote for themselves, and they only had one vote for each of the three categories.
There was a bigger turnout this year for the poll (64 vs. 50 in 2023), but quarterback Bryce Young, once again, abstained from taking part in the anonymous vote.
Below are the 2024 Processing Blue Panthers MVP awards (as voted on by the Carolina locker room):
Panthers offensive MVP: RB Chuba Hubbard
Votes: 44
Season stats: 250 carries for 1,195 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns; 43 catches for 171 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown
Analysis: Hubbard — who finished in second place in 2023 to last year’s offensive MVP, Adam Thielen — ran away with the voting process this year. And anyone who has watched the Panthers this season can understand why.
Hubbard, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday, was the most consistent player on the team in 2024. His output on the ground was the stuff of workhorses, and his growth as a leader shined through during the entire campaign.
The 2021 fourth-round pick signed a four-year, $33.2 contract extension during Week 10 ahead of the team’s Munich, Germany, match against the New York Giants. While running backs have been devalued by most of the teams in the league, Hubbard has been one of the pillars of the franchise this year, and he is set to be one of the notable faces of the offense for years to come.
Panthers offensive runner-up: QB Bryce Young
Votes: 15
Season stats (through Week 17): Completed 209 of 350 passes (59.7%) for 2,152 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions; 38 carries for 225 yards and four touchdowns
Analysis: Following his Week 3 benching, Young receiving votes in this poll would have seemed unthinkable. Heck, last year, as a 16-game starter, Young, then a rookie, didn’t receive a single vote.
But Young has stepped it up since returning to the lineup in Week 8. He’s still not a finished product, and the jury is still out on his potential status as a franchise QB, but he’s done enough to show there’s upside and talent there to still explore.
Through 29 career games (27 starts), he’s thrown just 23 touchdown passes and rushed for four scores. Those 27 combined touchdowns being held up against 19 interceptions and one lost fumble don’t look all that pleasant, especially for a former first overall pick.
But it’s clear he’s being accepted by his teammates as a leader and player this season. His work in the Week 16 overtime win against the Arizona Cardinals can’t go unnoticed, even by his biggest critics.
Others who received votes: WR Adam Thielen, C Cade Mays, WR David Moore, OT Taylor Moton
Observer staff picks
Scott Fowler: RB Chuba Hubbard
Mike Kaye: RB Chuba Hubbard
Alex Zietlow: RB Chuba Hubbard
Panthers defensive MVP: CB Jaycee Horn
Votes: 27
Season stats (through Week 17): 68 tackles, two sacks, 13 pass breakups and an interception
Analysis: This has been a major year for Horn for several reasons. He has been the most talented player on defense since Week 2, and he has remained mostly durable throughout the campaign. After missing 29 games with injury during his first three seasons, Horn has played in 15 of 16 games this year.
Horn has stepped up as a vocal leader, and he has improved mightily as a run defender. While his interception numbers aren’t anything to write home about, he has played well within a system that doesn’t allow him to regularly travel with opposing No. 1 wide receivers.
Entering the fifth year of his rookie contract, Horn could look to sign a contract extension this offseason. The Panthers’ front office would probably like to lower his cap number, and agreeing to an extension could give the team flexibility in 2025 and beyond.
Like Hubbard, Horn is an established pillar of the franchise, along with defensive end Derrick Brown — last year’s defensive MVP — and right guard Robert Hunt.
Panthers defensive runner-up: LB Josey Jewell
Votes: 17
Season stats (through Week 17): 97 tackles, 3.5 sacks, seven pass breakups and an interception
Analysis: It’s been a tale of two halves for Jewell in his first year with the Panthers. During the first half of the campaign, Jewell faltered in coverage and was inconsistent against the run. He also suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for more than a month.
But since his return to the lineup in Week 8, Jewell has been a consistent playmaker for the Panthers. He’s produced career highs in sacks and pass breakups in just 12 games this season, despite coming off a strong four-year stint with the Denver Broncos. He’s also been a leader of the team behind the scenes.
The Panthers have lost Shaq Thompson, Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus to season-ending injuries. Jewell is really the last man standing from Week 1’s group of four, despite missing Week 17’s blowout loss with a concussion.
Others who received votes: OLB Jadeveon Clowney, S Xavier Woods, CB Mike Jackson, OLB D.J. Wonnum
Observer staff picks
Scott Fowler: LB Josey Jewell
Mike Kaye: CB Jaycee Horn
Alex Zietlow: CB Jaycee Horn
Panthers special teams MVP: TE Feleipe Franks
Votes: 31
Season stats (through Week 17): Nine special teams tackles and fumble recovery
Analysis: The Panthers have three daredevils on special teams: Franks, Sam Franklin and Lonnie Johnson. And Franks is probably the most visible of the trio, for multiple reasons. The former college quarterback, now listed as a tight end, has been a dynamo for the special teams coverage unit, and he has been among the more frisky players after the whistle this season.
Along with Johnson, Franklin and linebacker Jon Rhattigan (who leads the team with 12 special teams tackles), Franks has become a key member of a core-four unit for special teams coordinator Tracy Smith.
Franks was a late addition to the training camp roster in July, and he has stuck around to make an impact in the third phase. While he has yet to catch a pass on offense, his teammates clearly feel he’s ascended into a key role on the team.
Panthers special teams runner-up: DB Lonnie Johnson
Votes: 11
Season stats (through Week 17): Seven special teams tackles
Analysis: With Franklin nursing a broken foot throughout the first half of the season, Johnson was asked to step up within the coverage unit. The defensive back has a history with Smith, and he has come in and put in the work to make a big impression on his teammates.
Like Franks, Johnson’s role is almost exclusively on special teams. Given his limited opportunities, Johnson has stood out with tenacity, speed and personality. He has been a nice stand-in and partner for Franklin, last year’s special teams MVP, this season.
Others who received votes: LS J.J. Jansen, P Johnny Hekker, RB Raheem Blackshear, S Sam Franklin, LB Jon Rhattigan
Observer staff picks
Scott Fowler: K Eddy Piñeiro
Mike Kaye: LB Jon Rhattigan
Alex Zietlow: TE Feleipe Franks
