Byron Bell, Nate Chandler Continue to Disappoint for the Carolina Panthers

When the Carolina Panthers overhauled their offense during the offseason, offensive tackle was overlooked. 

The team felt the tandem of Byron Bell and Nate Chandler were talented enough to replace former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jordan Gross, who retired after the 2013 campaign. 

It was an incorrect assumption. 

Carolina's offensive tackles are playing as poorly as any pair of tackles around the league. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the only team to suffer from worse offensive tackle play this season is the Atlanta Falcons. 

Bell transitioned from right to left tackle after last season to fill the void let by Gross, while Chandler took over on the strong side. While a drop-off in play should be expected after losing a player the caliber of Gross, the team's offensive tackle play fell of the proverbial cliff. 

Player	Overall grade	Run blocking	Pass blocking
Jordan Gross	27.5	8.4	14.8
Byron Bell	-21.7	-6.2	-15.1
Nate Chandler	-13.4	-3.3	-12.0

The Panthers' tackles were at their worst during Carolina's disappointing 13-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Instead of claiming a season-defining victory against the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Panthers couldn't muster enough on offense as the Seahawks claimed the last-minute win. 

Both offensive tackles were abused throughout the contest. 

Byron Bell

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

After starting the last three seasons at right tackle or guard, the Panthers gave Bell the opportunity to compete for the starting left tackle spot this year. He easily won the job during the preseason, but that may be more of an indictment of his competition than a ringing endorsement for Bell.

Left tackles are considered one of the cornerstone pieces of any franchise due their primary responsibility of protecting a quarterback's blind side. A team's left tackle is usually its best athlete along the offensive line and its highest-paid blocker. Left tackles are primarily paid to pass protect. Pass blocking is the area where Bell struggles the most. 

Of all the starting left tackles in the NFL, only two have a worse pass-blocking grade than Bell, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Bell is far less nimble than any team would like in its left tackle. Very few teams even have a left tackle as heavy as the Panthers' protector. Bell is listed at 340 pounds. The Buffalo Bills' Cordy Glenn is the only starting left tackle in the NFL listed at a heavier weight. 

Bell's sluggishness is apparent in his pass set. 

The tackle's lack of athleticism isn't simply a concern today. It has been a concern since he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2011. 

If the workout numbers for the former member of the New Mexico Lobos were compared to the top offensive linemen in his class, Bell would have only been a top-15 performer in one category...the vertical jump. Otherwise, Bell simply didn't show very good athleticism in any of the movement drills prior to the draft. 

This carried over to his early years as a professional. Even as a right tackle or guard, Bell was below-average as a pass protector. 

He didn't receive a positive pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus during any of his previous seasons in Carolina. In fact, Bell graded as the team's worst pass-blocker two of the past three seasons and second to worst in 2013 (behind Chandler). 

During Sunday's loss, Bell gave up a sack at the worst possible time. 

With Carolina trailing late in the fourth quarter and facing 2nd-and-15 from its 18-yard line, Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin got the best of the Panthers' left tackle. 

Irvin lined up wide and pinned his ears back because it was an obvious passing situation. This placed Bell at an immediate disadvantage. 

Bell was in good position after his initial kick-steps, and that's when everything fell apart. The big left tackle wasn't patient and threw his punch too early. As a result, he was off balance and couldn't recover (see: below). 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Irvin dipped his shoulder and easily went around Bell to sack quarterback Cam Newton for a seven-yard loss. 

Bell has the length and size to survive at left tackle, but simply surviving isn't good enough to protect a franchise talent like Newton. At this point in his career, Bell is an overachieving talent who has been overwhelmed while playing one of the game's most demanding positions. 

Nate Chandler

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Like Bell, Chandler is a former undrafted free agent getting his first opportunity to be a permanent starter at a new position. 

Unlike Bell, Chandler has a reason to struggle at right tackle. The third-year blocker was converted from defensive line to offensive line before the 2013 campaign. It's been a rocky transition. 

The concept of playing offensive line wasn't entirely foreign to Chandler, though. He spent his first two seasons with the UCLA Bruins as an offensive lineman. But it takes time to develop NFL-caliber technique. 

The Seahawks were able to pressure Newton off his right side throughout Sunday's contest. Chandler didn't surrender a sack, but Seattle manufactured four quarterback pressures by attacking the right tackle. 

An example of Chandler's poor technique is shown below when attempting to slow Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril.  

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Avril lined up wide because the tight end was to his side. Thus, the defensive end was playing what is called a Wide 9 technique. It gave him an easier path to the quarterback. 

Chandler needed to make sure he got as much width and depth with his initial kick-steps as possible to be in proper position to slow Avril. He didn't. 

At the point the above screen capture is taken, Chandler already had his feet too close together while his shoulders were turned. Since Chandler hadn't cut down the space between him and the pass-rusher, Avril had him at a disadvantage. The defensive end had what is known as a two-way go. Essentially, Avril could have taken an underneath route toward the quarterback or continued his outside rush. 

Since Newton took a deep drop, Avril chose an outside route. Chandler wasn't able to to get into position. The tackle crossed over his feet. Chandler couldn't even manage to lay a punch on Avril, who went by him with ease to pressure the quarterback. 

The play didn't result in a sack due to Newton's athleticism, but this play exemplifies poor footwork, bad angles and an awful pass set. 

Teams aren't going to go easy on Chandler simply because he is still a neophyte at the position. The Panthers' right tackle needs to rely more on his natural athleticism while trusting in the technique he's being taught by Panthers offensive line coach John Matsko. 

Solution

There are short- and long-term concerns with both offensive tackles. 

First and foremost, both are dealing with injuries, according to The Associated Press' Steve Reed. 

Rivera's comment about looking at other options won't provide any type of permanent solution to the Panthers' problems. The team simply needs to build enough to depth in hopes that Newton can survive the season. 

Real change should occur during the offseason. 

Left tackle is clearly a gaping hole and needs to be addressed. Gross was a stalwart on the blind side for 11 seasons. That type of presence isn't easily replaced. 

The Panthers will likely spend big in free agency to replace Bell or use a high draft selection on another left tackle. 

Meanwhile, Bell and Chandler would be better served at right tackle or guard. 

A coach's job is to put the best players on the field in an attempt to give his team the best chance of winning. The Panthers don't currently have five offensive linemen worthy of starting, and the problems begin with the team's left and right tackles.