The preseason is done and over with for the Carolina Panthers. Now, teams have until 6:00pm Eastern on Sunday to trim their rosters from 90 players down to 53. We’ll make our best guess on what the final 53 is going to look like. On one hand, we already know the majority of the players since a lot of the roster has been pretty much set since the start of the offseason. On the other hand, on the bottom of the roster, there is a lot of movement left to happen, between practice squad assignments, injury
designations, and waiver claims from other teams. Still, we’ll give it the old college try. Starters in bold and the order of players is a rough guess of the depth chart.
Offense
Quarterback (3)
Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett, Haynes King
I didn’t know what to do about King given that he hasn’t played since the Hall of Fame game, but it seems like Canales thinks he’ll be ready to play in Week 1. That would imply that he would be on the roster. I think he’ll be comfortably behind the other two for standard quarterback play, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some packages for him to utilize his rushing ability. As for Young, everyone’s favorite conversation subject enters a make or break season as he tries to prove that he’s a legitimate starter in the NFL.
Running back (3)
Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks, Trevor Etienne/AJ Dillon (pending Etienne’s injury)
The Panthers keep bringing competition in for Chuba Hubbard, and he keeps earning the starting spot. He’ll be the lead back to start the season, but Jonathon Brooks will push him for touches if he regains his college form. Etienne left Friday night’s game with an ankle injury, so his status is in flux. AJ Dillon may end up on the practice squad if Etienne’s injury is a mild one.
Wide receiver (7)
Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, Brycen Tremayne, Jimmy Horn Jr., John Metchie III, Ja’seem Reed
Having Reed on here instead of David Moore might be more hope than prediction. Moore has been a reliable presence in the system for a couple of years and he brings value on special teams. Reed has shown a lot more as a receiver in camp and in the preseason, but Dan Morgan has said that special teams contributions weigh heavily in the decision making process at the bottom of the roster. I don’t know how Reed stacks up to Moore in that regard, but if it’s comparable, he can make the roster as the annual training camp wide receiver story. Metchie and Horn have been heavily featured in the preseason and have been appearing relatively early in the games, so it seems like they’re the highest among the second tier of wide receivers on the depth chart. Tremayne seems all but locked in as a good fill-in receiver and excellent special teams contributor.
Tight End (3)
Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, Ja’Tavion Sanders
The Panthers made a little bit of a splash signing Darren Waller, but his lack of appearances in the preseason make it seem like he’s not fully ready for game action. He can come up if and when the Panthers move on from Ja’Tavion Sanders, who seems like the odd man out at some point. There’s also James Mitchell hanging around, who’s one of those boring veterans that coaching staffs always love to have keeping things together. Feleipe Franks is also lurking as a special teams ace with some upside as an offensive player.
Offensive Line (9)
Rasheed Walker, Damien Lewis, Luke Fortner, Robert Hunt, Monroe Freeling, Brady Christensen, Sam Hecht, Chandler Zavala, Stone Forsythe
The starting five is locked in while the Panthers wait for Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton to return from their respective ailments. Fortner’s spot it by far the most tenuous, but I don’t think anyone is really pushing him to take the job right now. I know everyone would be excited to see Zavala back in the mix. Forsythe might be swapped out for Jake Curhan, but I’m not super well versed in how the backup tackle battle has been going in camp.
Defense
Defensive Line (5)
Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown III, Cam Jackson, Lee Hunter, Jared Harrison-Hunte
The last spot is up for grabs. Both Harrison-Hunte and Aaron Hall have made cases for themselves throughout camp and the preseason, and it seems like a coin flip as to who makes the roster. Whoever doesn’t make it is probably going straight to the practice squad if they clear waivers. Tershawn Wharton will also have some say in this group if and when he gets back from injury.
Edge (5)
Jaelan Phillips, Patrick Jones II, Princely Umanmielen, Trevis Gipson, Thomas Incoom
Jaelan Phillips is the alpha in this group and Jones is the obvious number two after Nic Scourton went down for the season with a knee injury. Umanmielen has been looking good as a pass rusher in camp, while Gipson provides decent pop as depth and Incoom has a lot of special teams value. Cam Gill left a strong impression in the preseason finale with two fumble recoveries, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough to earn a spot on the final roster.
Inside linebacker (5)
Devin Lloyd, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott, Jackson Kuwatch
It’s sort of a make or break year for Wallace as a starter since he hasn’t quite developed at the rate the Panthers would be hoping for. He’ll get a huge upgrade starting alongside him in Devin Lloyd, and we’ll see if that helps him find his footing. The other three all bring value as special teams players, which is where we’ll see them for the vast majority of their snaps if the starters stay healthy.
Cornerback (5)
Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, Will Lee, Akayleb Evans
I wasn’t sure who to put in the final corner spot, but the fact that Evans was given the night off in the preseason finale would imply that he’s a safe bet to make the team unless there’s an injury we don’t know about. He’s got a role as a gunner on special teams and will probably only play corner in emergency situations. Chau Smith-Wade will play the nickel while Horn and Jackson reprise their roles as one of the best corner duos in the league.
Safety (5)
Tre’von Moehrig, Nick Scott, Lathan Ransom, Zakee Wheatley, Isaiah Simmons
Five safeties is a lot of safeties, but Simmons is really more a special teams player than a true safety. Moehrig is firmly entrenched as a very good starter, while Scott is likely to be pushed for reps by the young guys Ransom and Wheatley.
Specialists (3)
Kicker: Ryan Fitzgerald
Punter: Sam Martin
Long snapper: JJ Jansen
No surprises here. None of the three have even gotten competition in camp. The Panthers will be rolling with the same trio as last season.
