Among the dozens of issues the Carolina Panthers faced during the 2023 NFL season, one of the major impediments was a rash of injuries that left their already limited depth chart forced into an even more compromising position.
A season of elevating practice squad players and signing free agents should have any team re-thinking roster their building practices to prioritize building depth. Solid depth increases the margin for error enough to withstand a few injuries without the whole team crumbling like someone pulled out the wrong piece during a game of Jenga. That may be the long-term goal, but the Panthers short-term plan looks to rely on a few players in starting roles to come back or stay healthy after suffering significant injury.