Playing left tackle isn't anything new for the Panthers' Travelle Wharton. He played the position throughout his college career and also started 32 games there for Carolina in the 2005 and '07 seasons. He shifted to left guard before the 2008 campaign, but a season-ending broken ankle suffered by Panthers OLT Jordan Gross in Week 10 led the Panthers to move Wharton back to left tackle, and the transition has not gone smoothly. Wharton gave up three sacks in the team's Week 11 loss and QB Jake Delhomme's play suffered because of it. He was sacked a season-high four times and was hit eight times. The team was optimistic that losing Gross, who made the Pro Bowl last season, wouldn't be a major issue due to Wharton's experience at left tackle, but it's clear, at least when it comes to pass protection, that the front five are not as capable as they were with Gross as an anchor.

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