Now playing: Brady Christensen learning third offensive line position with Panthers

When the Carolina Panthers spent a fortune on a pair of new guards for their offensive line in free agency, the new additions had a reverberating impact on their depth chart. Starters were displaced and backups were seemingly pushed down in the pecking order.

While Austin Corbett moved one position over to his left at center, fellow former starting guard Brady Christensen was left without a home with the first-team offense entering the offseason.

Christensen — who missed all but one game last season due to a right biceps injury that required surgery — appeared to have found a worthwhile landing spot at left guard after entering the NFL as an offensive tackle in 2021. But after Corbett, Christensen and several others were lost in a revolving door at both guard spots last year, the new Panthers brass dished out hefty contracts to Damien Lewis to replace Christensen at left guard and Robert Hunt to take over for Corbett at right guard to improve protection in front of second-year QB Bryce Young, who was sacked 62 times as a rookie.

With Corbett getting the first shot at starting center, Christensen had to find his place in the trenches. It turns out, for now, that place is behind Corbett as the second-team center.

“He’s an amazing mentor, honestly,” said Christensen about Corbett on Monday. “He’s one of the most knowledgeable guys I know on just the specifics of O-line play and his technique and his steps and his hands. He knows the ins and outs of everything. . . . He has really taught me a lot about switching and transitioning from guard to center and vice versa.”

Christensen, 27, is now on his third position in four years with the Panthers. He’s also working under his third offensive line coach.

He was a tackle under Pat Meyer, a guard under James Campen, and now he’s a center under Joe Gilbert.

Christensen says Gilbert has been a good boss in the early days of the offseason program.

“He’s awesome,” Christensen said. “It’s kind of funny. Like all offensive line coaches are like cut from the same cloth. They’re all great dudes. Humble, but when it’s time to go, they get fiery. He’s been fun to work for so far.”

Following his recovery from bicep surgery in January, Christensen told The Charlotte Observer that he gained a new appreciation for the game while he was sidelined. He said he would never again take the game for granted.

And despite another position change and an on-the-surface demotion, Christensen is sticking with that energy as he gets ready compete for role under a new offensive staff led by head coach Dave Canales.

“I feel like I’m a versatile player and can play a lot, so I’m going to compete at everything,” Christensen said.

Christensen has played in 34 games and made 24 starts during his time in Carolina. He can pretty much line up anywhere, and even if he’s not a Week 1 starter, he could have the rare distinction of a being a true offensive line sixth man for the Panthers this year.

He’s an insurance policy for left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and right tackle Taylor Moton. He’s played where Lewis is lining up, and in theory, could replace Hunt in the case of injury.

And with Corbett teaching him everything he knows, Christensen could be his longtime teammate’s relief in the trenches at center — if need be.

“Today, I played center, so I’m enjoying learning center,” Christensen said. “I haven’t done that a whole ton, and I feel really good there. I like it. Right now, it’s kind of one position every day. If I’m center one day, that’s what I’m focused on. If I’m guard that one day, that’s what I’m focused on.

“So, I’m still like a one-position guy, but know I can do it all. And you’ve got to know it all to play offensive line, so the knowledge of being able to learn center is going to help me everywhere else, too.”

News and notes

▪ On Monday, the Panthers signed former Southern Methodist University defensive tackle Junior Aho. The defensive lineman grew up in Nice, France and was eligible for the team’s international exemption. Aho will not count toward the 90-man roster this offseason, and if the Panthers decide to keep him on the practice squad beyond training camp, he won’t count toward that group’s 16-man limit, either.

Aho played three seasons at SMU and produced 43 tackles (7.5 for loss), five sacks and two forced fumbles. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound lineman went undrafted last year and spent time with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023.