Panthers vs. Broncos game review: It’s about the future

Even in another loss, a few young players on the Panthers roster stand out

The Carolina Panthers are now on a 5 game losing streak after a another lackluster overall performance versus the Denver Broncos. Panthers started off stronger than anyone expected, forcing a fumble on the Broncos opening offensive drive and turning that right around into the teams first touchdown off a turnover this season.

Unfortunately, the Panthers started the second quarter with a 7 point lead and exited down by 14. From that point forward, the game felt out of hand no matter what the scoreboard may have indicated. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix looked like like John Elway while Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looked like… well, Bryce Young.

Given the fact that he head coached for both teams that appeared in Sunday’s contest, it only feels appropriate to quote the legend himself, John Fox:

It is what it is.

At this point in the season, most fans have resigned themselves from hoping for wins to hoping to see sparks of life from the young talent on the team. In what has become a somewhat frequent topic for the weekly game review articles, let’s take a look at some of the performances the young guys from the last couple drafts put on the field on Sunday.

Taking their lumps

It’s not perfect, far from it, but the Panthers 3rd and 4th round draft picks from the 2024 class are getting some invaluable reps this season. Trevin Wallace especially, who once again played over 60 snaps continues to show flashes while only 21 years old. Wallace gave up a touchdown to Adam Trautman in coverage, but after a beautiful touch pass from Nix and one handed grab at the edge of Trautman’s catch radius I don’t blame Wallace too much. Sometimes you can’t defend a perfect pass. He made up for it though, at least somewhat, by punching out the ball from Cortland Sutton’s hands at the goal line to keep the Broncos out of the endzone. Ja’Tavion Sanders didn’t have as much of an exciting game, but is still getting about 20 snaps a game.

Now or never

This category is owned by the the Panthers 2023 draft class. I hate to say it, but most of that draft class might not make it to next year. The only player I can confidently say will make it is Chandler Zavala, who has shown to be a competent offensive lineman this season in limited action. After that, if the class doesn’t start showing something soon it might be over. Young continues to look overwhelmed both mentally and physically. Jonathan Mingo has played almost 800 passing snaps in his career and has yet to even sniff the endzone – getting lapped on the depth chart by a UDFA rookie who I’ll get to later. DJ Johnson continues to prove that he was wildly over-drafted after only earning 5 snaps for what is arguably the worst defense in the NFL. Abysmal return on investment.

Reasons to keep watching

Trust that I’m not being hyperbolic when I say this because I mean every word, the number one reason I will continue to watch every single Panthers game this season is the two young wide receivers that have started to take off in recent weeks. The only two players to score a touchdown for the Panthers versus the Broncos: Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. Legette scored the Panthers first touchdown of the game, on a 3rd and goal lined up man-on-man with All Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain. Legette did have a brutal drop, but also had a couple steps on a defender on a go-route that, if Young were able connect with him, should have been an 80 yard touchdown.

Coker may be the rookie Panthers fans are most optimistic about going forward, which is really saying something. Coker had an outstanding toe tap catch along the sideline on 3rd and 14 that, at the time of writing this, is the 3rd most improbable reception of the entire NFL this season (12.2% chance of completion), according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Coker’s touchdown was impressive on it’s own right, as he worked back to the ball at the perfect time to catch and fall into the endzone even with the defender on his hip. Coker’s season long PFF grade of 79.5 is the good for the 18th highest at the receiver position. You can see why Steve Smith Sr. compared him to Tim Duncan, even if that does sound wild even now.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to let me know which Panthers you think fall into the categories I’ve listed – rookies or not! Until next time, keep pounding.