Carolina Panthers rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling just made his preseason debut, and the PFF grades for his 10-snap outing are already raising some serious questions. When you’re the 19th overall pick, you expect to make some noise, but these numbers for Freeling are not the start any fan wanted to see. This ain’t some minor hiccup, either, this is a look at how a top draft pick is adjusting to the pros, and it’s looking like an uphill battle from day one.
The PFF Hammer Drops: Numbers Don’t Lie
So, let’s cut right to it, because the film-based analysis from Pro Football Focus is laying it all out there. Freeling, playing as the starting right tackle, clocked in an overall offensive grade of just 53.1. Think about that for a second. That grade ranks him 33rd out of 39 players on the entire unit who got snaps. And if you narrow it down to just Panthers who took at least 10 offensive snaps in their 29-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, he’s still sitting way down at 28th out of 34. Ouch.
Panthers fans probably felt a little less hype watching their guy compared to other rookies around the league. While guys like Cleveland Browns wide receiver KC Concepcion were speeding into the end zone, and Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman was flying around on defense, Freeling’s debut just didn’t spark that same excitement. The Panthers, who made what was called a “wise” move to invest in the trenches by taking the University of Georgia standout at 19th overall, are definitely waiting to see that wisdom pay off. It certainly didn’t show up in the pass blocking, where Freeling earned a brutal 39.4, ranking as the fourth-lowest on the team. He also got charged with two pressures, both hurries, on just six opportunities. Not exactly inspiring stuff from your top pick. And on the ground? It wasn’t much better, with a 57.7 run blocking grade, Carolina’s third-lowest such mark.
A Rookie’s Uphill Battle on The Other Side of The Line
Now, before we hit the panic button completely, let’s get some context. This kid, Monroe Freeling, is only 22 years old. He’s a rookie, trying to find his footing in the NFL. Plus, he’s going through a pretty significant adjustment. At Georgia, he was primarily a left tackle. Get this: only one of his massive 747 offensive snaps in 2025 came from the right tackle spot. That’s a huge switch! It’s not easy to flip sides, especially at the highest level of the game. And we’re talking about a grand total of 10 plays in his preseason debut. Ten snaps!
Sure, the PFF grades aren’t the be-all, end-all of analysis, and it’s a super small sample size. But these numbers are a loud wake-up call. Freeling has to prove he can adapt, and fast. The Panthers invested big in him, and while you expect some growing pains from a rookie, these initial grades mean he’s got a mountain to climb. He’s got to show he can handle the pressure, quite literally, and shore up both his pass and run blocking. What happens in his next outing, and how quickly he can turn these numbers around, will tell us everything about whether this “wise” draft pick was a shrewd investment or just a swing and a miss. It’s early, but the stakes for his development are already sky-high.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply