The Carolina Panthers have seen quite a few players, coaches, and executives leave and join the Buffalo Bills . Brandon Beane, Joe Brady, and Sean McDermott are all former Panthers. Shaq Thompson , Curtis Samuel , and Sam Franklin are recent player examples , too.
Now, Austin Corbett joins the infamous Carolina-Buffalo pipeline. According to several reports, the former Panthers interior offensive lineman signed a one-year deal with the AFC East squad last night.
Corbett had injury struggles and is over 30, so the Panthers probably weren't rushing to re-sign him. That said, they still might regret letting him go so easily in free agency.
Carolina Panthers center Austin Corbett (63) on the sidelines in the fourth quarter | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
The Panthers will regret letting Austin Corbett go for a few reasons. Over the last few seasons, they've adored linemen with versatility who can provide incredible depth up front. Injuries have been rampant on the line, and having players like that has been crucial.
Corbett played both center and guard, making him one of Carolina's most versatile players. The Panthers had three such players in 2025: Corbett, Cade Mays , and Brady Christensen . Mays is with the Lions , and Corbett's now with the Bills.
A reunion with Christensen seems unlikely, too. Carolina's about to lose three of its most important depth pieces up front, with the Bills poaching the latest. Corbett wasn't incredible, as evidenced by no market and a one-year deal, but he was a useful player.
The Panthers have also loved continuity up front. From 2024 to 2025, every single offensive lineman returned, and it played a role. The Panthers had double-digit line combinations in 2025 due to injuries, but they all knew and had played with one another the year before, so chemistry wasn't an issue.
So with Corbett gone, the Panthers have lost depth, versatility, and continuity. They can get depth and versatility by signing another player (maybe even Christensen) or drafting some interior linemen, but they can't get the continuity back.
Carolina Panthers center Austin Corbett (63) during the third quarter | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Right now, the offensive line is definitely in worse shape . They've lost crucial depth pieces, and they've replaced some good blockers (Cade Mays) with some slightly inferior players ( Luke Fortner ).
Given how important it is to run the ball and protect Bryce Young in Carolina, this is a worrying development. Dan Morgan likely plans to hit the O-line in the draft, but he could've avoided this with a slew of cheap, one-year deals to bring back key players.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi as Panthers Will Regret Letting Austin Corbett Follow Others to Bills .
