Answering all your Panthers questions on this week’s mailbag!
Hello Panthers fans! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly CSR mailbag, a Panthers forum for everyone! You all came with so many questions this week it took me some time to get back! I love it!
To recap, each week we will have a post called “Brian Asks” where you can ask all your questions, whether they are Panthers related, football related, or anything else! But enough with that, let’s dive in!!
Randallpink11: Do you think some of the smoke and mirrors surrounding our QB position will be removed this week?
I think Bryce Young did a really nice job against the Jets in joint practices on Thursday, and showed a lot of hope for some optimism this season. That said, Dave Canales might choose to hold him out again, which will not alleviate fans’ concerns.
Hainesy_34: Do you think Elu Leota can actually contribute on Sunday’s after watching his preseason performance so far?
I think at this point Eku Leota will be given the chance to contribute out of necessity. We don’t really know when DJ Wonnum will be healthy and ready, and beyond Jadeveon Clowney we’re looking at 2023 3rd round pick DJ Johnson and former 1st rounder K’Lavon Chaisson. I think Leota absolutely can contribute, and between his performance in the first preseason game and impact in the Jets joint practices, the Panthers might have found a nice diamond in the rough as a rotational contributor.
panthers2112: Why can’t we, as Panthers fans, have nice things?
We can! Unfortunately the Panthers tend to trade them away.
schrodingersblackcat: We’re better off than we were a year ago, but looking at our depth chart is… sobering. Is there any other NFL team that has drafted so poorly over the past decade?
The Texans, Browns, Lions, Bears, and Commanders (or their prior names) definitely come to mind if we’re talking the last decade. I think we forget that 2020 was only four years ago. But wow, it has been a LONG for years.
SwampPanther: Any concern about our normally calm and collected coach making the entire offense run gassers after an utterly disappointing outing at practice yesterday? Can’t remember the last time I saw that happen.
This question came before the Panthers had a nice showing against the Jets on Thursday, so I wanted to add that context. That said, I think holding the offense accountable for a bad practice and holding them to a higher standard is definitely a good way to handle things. These are professionals, and even if practice is PRACTICE, they need to improve on bad days when they can. And they certainly did.
Shifty Fish: If the offense looks as downtrodden as it did last year out the gate, how many weeks does Canales get before he gets strung up like Reich?
I don’t think Canales gets fired no matter how bad the team does, unless he shows a refusal to adjust like Reich did towards the end. I don’t think hiring a young gun like Canales was ever intended to be for a one year turnaround.
bringo!: With the drops and terrible outing from Jack Plummer last week, Do you think our WR depth is sorted or at least more clearer?
I don’t know if there was ever really a question of how the depth chart was sorted. Obviously, Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen are locks for their roles. We’ll see what things look like for Xavier Legette early but he appears to be more of a gadget guy at least early on. Jonathan Mingo and Terrace Marshall Jr will be competing for essentially the same role, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette will be another gadget/speed guy who factors in on special teams. I think the top 6 is very much set, the only question now would be, do they keep 6?
textual heeling: If the coaching staff determines that Bryce isn’t the quarterback that gives us the best chance to win, are they going to have the latitude to start someone else?
I’m not really sure why they would. It’s not like Andy Dalton is the answer, and it doesn’t appear Jack Plummer or Jake Luton are either. I don’t think benching Bryce makes a lot of sense unless he’s completely out of his depth. And just based on the positive reports this off-season, I’d say he’s making progress. I don’t see any benefit to start someone else halfway or towards the end of the season aside from injuries. This is only year 2 for Bryce.
bolshy: Where is the Brady Christensen experiment going to end up?
Depth piece at every position. I actually think he’s going to be very important to this team because currently, there’s not a lot of healthy and solid depth, and he is. I’d be a little concerned if he needs to start at center, but right now he’s probably the best (healthy) option at tackle or guard if he needs to fill in for a starter.
Jeff Maxwell: Would you prefer that the “Ask Brian” thread each week be strictly for the questions with no answers from the users so you can at least get a clean shot at answering the question without there being multiple answers already?
We get good answers, and I’m guilty of rushing in with my take the first couple of weeks as well but there’s a “Brian Answers” thread each week too, and if there’s a differing opinion or addition someone wants to add, that’d be the place to do it, not here. Just my Neil Spicer, but I was wondering how you feel about it.
My whole goal with this idea was to generate commentary and discussion. I do not mind people having discussions over the questions other users ask before the Answers post gets out. And it would be hard to govern that (lol). I’m all for the engagement, no matter which post it comes from. I only hope the discussions can continue once I (or we) share our thoughts on the posed questions!
Coach_K: When is Red Rocket back from injury?
Sounds like Andy Dalton is on course for either week one or week two. I think they are just playing it very safe with him because we/they know who he is at this point in his career and the practice snaps aren’t going to make or break his performance if he is called on to play.
Wandering gnome: What week will we pick up our first win of the season?
Week one baby! New scheme on offense, nobody will know what to expect, its the Saints, I’m all in on a 1-0 start because its the preseason and you can’t stop me!