The Carolina Panthers enter the 2022 season looking to change their fortunes. Back-to-back five-win seasons have left fans in Charlotte eager to see improvements on the field. 

Carolina made a change at quarterback by acquiring Baker Mayfield from Cleveland, and there is talent on both sides of the ball such as Christian McCaffrey and Brian Burns. However, the Panthers need more than just the stars to show up if they want to turn heads this season.

Some diamonds in the rough must step up if the Panthers want any shot at making the playoffs in 2022. Let's take a look at two possible Panthers hidden gems in the 2022 NFL season.

Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)

2 hidden gems on the Carolina Panthers roster in 2022

D'Onta Foreman

No one can deny that McCaffrey is a great football player. However, when the best ability is availability, McCaffrey has shown that relying on him to generate offense is a gamble.

The star running back has been limited to just ten games over the previous two seasons. While he's been productive in those games, his inability to stay on the field has led the Panthers to seek backup options.

Chuba Hubbard is listed as the second-string back, but Foreman could make a big impact as a third-stringer. The sixth-year back came filled in admirably for Derrick Henry last season, putting up 566 yards in nine games for Tennessee. He also added three touchdowns and averaged 4.3 yards per carry.

The Panthers took a flier on Foreman, and head coach Matt Rhule expects him to play a big role in the offense.

“You see the way he played last year, he ran with power, ran the wide zone game, but had long speed to get down the field,” Rhule said. “For us, in our situation when you have Christian McCaffrey, and you have Chuba, to add a big back like D'Onta, to me gives us a nice mix. He brings something the other guys don't have, and he showed it last year playing for the Titans.”

Foreman provides another layer to Carolina's potent rushing attack with everyone healthy. Even in the event that McCaffrey suffers another injury, Foreman has shown that he is more than capable of filling in for an elite back.

Matt Ioannidis

Ioannidis was a stalwart on Washington's defensive line since being drafted in 2016. His best seasons came in 2018 and 2019 when he recorded 7.5 and 8.5 sacks, respectively.

After being limited to just three games in 2020, Ioannidis hasn't been able to return to his previous form. He notched just 2.5 sacks and 38 total tackles in 16 games last season. Washington then released him after the season.

Carolina then signed Ioannidis to a one-year deal to add to an already formidable defensive line. He should slot in next to Derrick Brown in the defensive tackle slot.

“I can't speak to anything in the past, but I'm looking forward to playing with Derrick, and hopefully I can teach him some things, he can teach me some things and we'll have some really good chemistry out there,” Ioannidis said in his introductory news conference. “I think chemistry's important all across the board. So, it's going to be a fun year.”

If Ioannidis can reclaim his peak form, then it could very well be a fun year in Carolina for him.