With last week’s reports that the Carolina Panthers have started discussing a contract extension with offensive guard Trai Turner, let’s dive into how he and fellow starting guard Andrew Norwell, who will also be a free agent after the 2017 season, have played while in Carolina.

Background information:

Above is a comparison of the guards physical characteristics. In 2014 the Panthers selected Trai Turner 92nd overall in the draft and signed Norwell as an undrafted free agent. Both guards made an immediate impact as the rookies started nine games each, including the last six games of the season in which the Panthers went 4-2, won the NFC South, and gained a playoff berth. The following year Turner played and started in all 16 games while Norwell played and started in 13, missing three with a hamstring injury, and were integral to the Panthers’ rushing attack that averaged 142.6 yards per game and became the highest scoring offense in the league.

Head-to-Head: Run Blocking

Turner is a hog molly and as such, has shown great run blocking ability in the past. Over the 2016 season he had a down year due to a lack of push which likely derived from the slack approach he took in regards to his stance off the line this year. He has active hands that he uses to gain inside leverage, and he comes off the ball fast with an intent to kill. Turner excels as an inline blocker and road grader because he can focus on the man in front of him without thinking about who is next.

Norwell has furious hands that he combines with a great stance off the ball to gain inside leverage quickly. He then maximizes the amount of power generated from his lower half to push through defenders effectively. Furthermore, he hunts for new targets constantly and never slows down as a run blocker. Norwell is at home blocking in space, which translates to performing well as a pulling guard. Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys and Marshal Yanda of the Baltimore Ravens are the only guards in the NFL that make a bigger impact as run blockers than Norwell.

Winner: Andrew Norwell

Photo Credit: Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer

Head-to-Head: Pass Blocking

Norwell did not start out his career as a good pass blocker, but 2016 was a perfect example of how he has grown. Over the season he was the best pass blocker on the Panthers and quickly became the primary lineman Newton would gravitate towards. The big difference was Norwell’s increased patience as a pass blocker. He would let the situation develop and react accordingly. In years past, he did what Daryl Williams would do in 2016 and attacked the first defender who caught his eye. Panthers fans underestimate just how integral Norwell became when the Panthers were on their third center and Turner was forced to play offensive tackle late in the 2016 season.

Winner: Norwell

Head-to-Head: Potential

Andrew Norwell is 25 years old and will be 26 in October which means he is just entering the prime years of his NFL career. He has shown consistent growth over the last three years, but doesn’t have much left to develop. The main way he can improve is simply playing more and gaining experience, he is technically sound and has maximized his athletic ability.

Turner, on the other hand, still has room to grow. His stance off the snap is still hit or miss, he gets turned more often than he should, and he has not figured out how to maintain inside leverage without pushing through the defender. The good news is that Turner, like Norwell, has shown consistent growth. If the young guard can continue to develop as a technician and find his athletic balance then the Panthers offensive interior will be set years to come. Turner is younger, has a stronger athletic base and is still fairly raw from a technical standpoint. Even though he is raw, his level of play is already in the great to elite range of offensive linemen.

Winner: Turner

Photo Credit: Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer

Conclusion

When you make the Pro Bowl, Super Bowl and show the NFL what it means to be a top tier guard at the age of 22 years old, it is tough to improve the next year. Turner did not improve in 2016, but he did not regress as many have stated. Instead, he played as a hog molly who mauls defenders and made an impact against good defensive tackles. Most of Turner’s poor play came from his time as an offensive tackle. If you look at his prior season and at his play as a guard in 2016 it is easy to see he is worth a large extension.

Norwell went undrafted because he was viewed as a slow guard who lacked “weight room strength”. This is a great example of scouts over analyzing prospects, missing the forest for the trees.

“Big-bodied brawler who does not look pretty but consistently finds a way to get the job done in confined quarters and has the makeup of a sixth offensive lineman. Versatility could allow to be drafted late and eventually work his way into a starting lineup with continued development.”

– NFL.com

This quote basically means that Norwell won his battles but the scout didn’t understand how he did it. Since that time, it has become clear that Norwell wins with strength, balance, and agility. He is great as a run and pass blocker and the only way to improve is to gain more experience.

While Norwell may be better right now, Turner has more potential and athletic ability to build off of. The Panthers would be smart to lock both guards up for the foreseeable future but it makes sense to start with Turner considering his price tag should be smaller after his “lackluster” 2016 campaign.

Sean Mauk

Senior Analyst

Sean Mauk is a Senior Analyst at The Riot Report. He likes bananas and still wears his Mike Minter jersey. You can follow Sean on Twitter @MaukDraft.