After a tough first outing, the Panthers offense looks to rebound versus the Jets.
After a lackluster preseason debut versus the New England Patriots, the Carolina Panthers offense is in desperate need of a rebound when they go up against the New York Jets on Saturday. After a few slight tweaks to the roster, let’s take a look at what head coach Dave Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik have to work with when the pads come on in a couple days.
Quarterbacks
Once again, Bryce Young’s status for a preseason game is up in the air and will likely remain that way until the media speaks with Canales on Friday. For a team whose execution in preseason week one was eerily similar to what we saw last fall, trotting out the sophomore first overall pick and putting some points on the board would do wonders for the confidence of the team and it’s fans. With Andy Dalton still sidelined, most of the contest will be filled with the battle for third string between Jack Plummer and Jake Luton. Plummer, who had a shaky performance in week one, still seems to be holding off Luton but a good showing from the veteran might push him past the rookie.
Running Backs
Baring any surprises, Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders are locked in for a spot on the 53 man roster. While seeing the veteran duo get the day off versus the Patriots wasn’t unexpected, holding out back-up back Raheem Blackshear was quite surprising. Once Jonathon Brooks is finished rehabbing, Blackshear is firmly the fourth running back on the roster so him giving the same treatment as the entrenched starters might give away how highly they regard him. The running back did get little lighter this week as Dillon Johnson survived a roster cut after beating out Jaden Shirden. Johnson will look to show coaches he’s worth keeping on the practice squad as he competes with veteran Mike Boone, who has made a couple waves in training camp so far.
Tight Ends
The battle for the number one spot on the depth chart will continue to stay on the backburner as Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble remain sidelined with respective injuries. Fans hoping to see Ja’Tavion Sanders stand out last week received an eyebrow raising performance from Jordan Matthews instead. If the Panthers decide to keep four tight ends, the battle between Sanders and Matthews for early-season playing time might come down to who shows up the most when the TV cameras are on them in August. Feleipe Franks, Jacob Hollister and Jesper Horsted might need a miracle to make the final 53, but they’ll still try and make a good impression for the other 31 teams watching.
Wide Receivers
With Diontae Johnson noted as day-to-day while recovering from a groin injury, the fans likely shouldn’t expect to see him in game action until the regular season. On the bright side, first round pick Xavier Legette has returned to practice. However, don’t be surprised if the team doesn’t want to push him back onto the field so soon after recovery. If the starters play, expect Adam Thielen to resume his role as a safety net for Young. Much to the dismay of fans, Terrace Marshall, Jonathan Mingo and Ihmir Smith-Marsette all had a disappointing drop in their sole game thus far. A second round pick last year, Mingo’s position on the roster is strong, but Marshall and Marsette don’t have the cache to continue to disappoint at every opportunity.
Rookie Jalen Coker will need to make a splash if he wants to usurp steady veteran David Moore, who has been around Canales for large portions of his career and looked the part during training camp. Mike Strachan looks to continue improving after spending time on the Panthers active roster last year. New addition Tayvion Robinson was brought in to fill out an injured roster, but don’t expect fireworks as he adjusts.
Offensive Line
Will the Panthers give some playing time to the most expensive offensive line in the league against the Jets? Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt and Taylor Moton are all seemingly healthy, so seeing the “Great Wall of Carolina” in action could erase the stench of the 2023 season. The starters in preseason week one, Ricky Lee, Chandler Zavala, Cade Mayes, Brady Christensen and Jeremiah Crawford should takeover before the end of the first quarter and hopefully put more on tape than their less-than-stellar group effort in week one. Rookie Andrew Raym continues to be the only true center on the roster, while new addition Jack Anderson provides some depth to the interior of the line. Hopefully there’s a combo of players available that can keep the quarterbacks upright and have the running backs seeing daylight.
With just a few more weeks until the games count, which players are you looking forward to watching, Panthers fans? Let us know in the comments!