Ron Rivera didn’t even let the question finish before he answered.
“Is it worrisome that you’re mixing and matching up front-”
“Yes.”
Well, there you go.
After suffering two injuries along the offensive line during training camp – Amini Silatolu has had surgery to repair a torn meniscus and Daryl Williams is expected to start the season on injured reserve with a torn MCL and dislocated patella – the Panthers have had to shift the puzzle pieces around already and it’s been less than a month since training camp launched in Spartanburg. Taylor Moton, once thought to be the top backup at both tackle spots and in the running for starter at left guard is now the starting right tackle and Greg Van Roten, expected to be a backup on the interior, has taken the starting slot at left guard – for now. Throw in the worries about Ryan Kalil’s health as he enters his final year after missing 18 games over the past two seasons, Tyler Larsen’s hyperextended left elbow and free agent acquisition Jeremiah Sirles missing the final week of camp and there has been a lot of teeth gnashing about the lineup in front of Cam Newton and the running backs.
Oh, and left tackle Matt Kalil missed practice today – the first practice after an inconsistent performance on Friday night – with what Rivera said was a combination of rest, injury and a vet day; the team was “just trying to take care of him [and] get him a little bit of rest.”
So. Back to that question.
“It’s a little worrisome because what you really want to do is try to build that continuity but hopefully [Kalil missing practice] is just a little bit of blip,” said Rivera about the shifting offensive line. “But at the same time, it’s given us a chance to see what Taylor Moton can do – he’s played very well at the right tackle spot [and] we threw him in at left tackle today a little bit. We’ve been moving guys right and left – it is a good opportunity, but hopefully this is not something that we’ve got to worry about.”
The team has been utilizing multiple pieces throughout the preseason, trying out players at multiple positions along the line as Rivera, Marty Hurney and John Matsko try to figure out not only the best combination of players to start, but the best players to keep on the roster and where those players fit in regards to depth. In 2017, the Panthers started their preferred offensive line combination – meaning the group that began the season – exactly three times over the course of the season; sometimes it’s not only the starters that make the difference, but the backups.
That’s why we’ve seen Blaine Clausell, Dorian Johnson, and Jeremiah Sirles – both Sirles and Johnson are listed as guards and the team wanted to see how they performed on the outside – all taking reps at both tackle positions; with Kalil out today, Sirles ran with the first team at right tackle while Moton occupied the left tackle slot.That’s also why the team has tried out undrafted free agents Taylor Hearn and Brendan Mahon at both right and left guard along with Sirles and Van Roten – Tyler Larsen has taken mostly center snaps in the preseason, but he is in the mix for that center/guard slot as well. Versatility helps when it comes to playing offensive line, but taking reps with the same group makes a big difference.
“It’s just something you need to continually practice,” Van Roten said after the team’s preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday. “I’m getting used to Matt, Matt’s getting used to me; I’m getting used to Ryan, Ryan’s getting used to me. So that’ll come together – that’s what preseason’s for, that’s why we practice. So it’s something that we’ll work on and we’re going to get it right.”
“You definitely want to have it all figured out before the games start to count.”
They’ll get it figured out, but for now, it’s worrisome.
