PFF names Yetur Gross-Matos as Panthers’ most improved player of 2023

Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos picked a good year to have a good year.

Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Zoltán Buday recently named the most improved player for each team following the 2023 season. For the Panthers, he lands on Gross-Matos—who had his best pro campaign on the last year of his rookie deal.

Buday writes:

It is not easy to highlight someone on the 2023 Carolina Panthers who has significantly improved compared to previous seasons. However, while Gross-Matos missed time due to an injury, he recorded career-high pass-rushing, run-defense and overall grades in his fourth NFL season.

As far as those PFF grades go, the 25-year-old received a 65.2 in pass-rushing, a 66.4 in run defense and a 65.4 overall. And as far as the traditional numbers, he also hit highs in sacks (4.5), quarterback hits (10) and tackles for a loss (seven).

Gross-Matos benefitted from his new role as a stand-up linebacker in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 base. But with one headed for free agency and the other possibly drawing outside interest, the Panthers may be going into 2024 without two of their few bright spots from 2023.