Carolina Panthers depth chart: Yetur Gross-Matos starting in 2020?

Will Yetur Gross-Matos start for the Carolina Panthers in 2020?

These are not your Super Bowl 50 Carolina Panthers.

The new era of Panthers football will be led by one of the most coveted coaching prospects in some time, Matt Rhule. Rhule has certainly not been afraid to build the roster his way in his first year in charge of the Panthers along with general manager Marty Hurney.

The Panthers have said goodbye to many familiar faces, including former league MVP Cam Newton.

After signing Teddy Bridgewater and Robby Anderson in free agency along with acquiring left tackle Russell Okung in a trade, the Panthers focused entirely on the defensive side of the ball in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Panthers had seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, and all seven were dedicated to the defensive side of the ball.

Just as predicted back in March, the Panthers began the rebuild of their roster in 2020 just like they did in 2011 — with one of the best prospects to come out of Auburn in some time. This time around, it was on the defensive line with Derrick Brown.

Brown’s presence will certainly help the Panthers immediately, but the follow-up to that selection of Penn State pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos could expedite the Panthers’ rebuilding process.

The Panthers used their top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on Brian Burns, who is now coming off of a successful rookie campaign in which he racked up 16 QB hits and 7.5 sacks.

With so many players on the Panthers’ defensive front departed, Gross-Matos stands a really good chance of getting into the starting lineup immediately.

Panthers 2019 edge rusher snap counts

• 1. Mario Addison, 729 snaps (14 QB hits, team-leading 9.5 sacks)
• 2. Bruce Irvin, 608 snaps (16 QB hits, 8.5 sacks)
• 3. Brian Burns, 478 snaps (16 QB hits, 7.5 sacks)
• 4. Efe Obada, 306 snaps (4 QB hits)

With Addison moved on to the Buffalo Bills and Bruce Irvin returning to the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers lost 18 sacks off the edge and 30 quarterback hits this offseason.

It’s not likely Gross-Matos will replace that production all on his own, but he can certainly come in and provide a huge boost off the edge.

Over the past two seasons at Penn State, Gross-Matos racked up 34.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. He has yet to unlock his full potential, but with the talent on the Panthers’ defensive line, he could get a number of really favorable matchups off the edge and on stunts.

Gross-Matos also has experience playing all over the defensive line and is one of the most versatile weapons in this class. Had he been able to do a full workout at the 2020 scouting combine, I think he would have blazed in the 40-yard dash.

There’s no doubt about his athleticism on tape.

The Panthers brought in Stephen Weatherly from the Minnesota Vikings in free agency, a valuable backup edge player who racked up six sacks and 17 QB hits over the past two seasons.

Weatherly isn’t going to let Gross-Matos have his first real opportunity to start in the pros. These guys are going to make each other better with competition, but Gross-Matos is going to get himself onto the field one way or another this season for the Panthers and make a tremendous impact.