Panthers "feel good" about first-round pick Monroe Freeling at right tackle - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBCSports.com’s Pro Football Talk reported that the Carolina Panthers are preparing for a reshuffled offensive line as the season approaches, with first-round rookie Monroe Freeling now positioned to play right tackle. General manager Dan Morgan addressed the situation at a Wednesday press conference and expressed confidence that Carolina has enough depth to manage the change.

The Panthers already expected to be without left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who is recovering from a torn patellar tendon, and signed Rasheed Walker in March as a free-agent option on that side. A newer concern is right tackle Taylor Moton, who NBCSports.com reported is dealing with a blood clot in his lung and is expected to miss time into the regular season. That development has pushed Freeling, drafted after playing left tackle at Georgia, toward a potentially immediate starting role on the right side.

Morgan said, according to the team’s website as cited by NBCSports.com, that the Panthers are comfortable with Freeling’s readiness and believe Moton will help guide him while sidelined. Morgan also pointed to the value of roster depth and said selecting Freeling as the best player available has put the team in a stronger position than it otherwise might have been.

The article noted that Carolina will also be integrating a new center, Luke Fortner. The broader issue for the Panthers is continuity: with multiple changes across the line, the group will need to build chemistry quickly before games begin in September.