The preseason has come and gone and with it are the opportunities for players to jump out in live game action. We didn’t get any true preseason stars this season, so the decisions for the final roster spots are going to come down to needs and what players showed during camp. A lot of the spots are pretty much set, but there are still decisions to be made.
Offense
Quarterbacks
Bryce Young
, Andy DaltonNothing to see here. The Panthers will likely only carry two quarterbacks most games and will elevate either Jack Plummer
or Bryce Perkins for game day should either of the two established quarterbacks have injury concerns on a given game day.
Running backs
Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle, Trevor Etienne
The Panthers leaned heavily on Hubbard last season with Miles Sanders being largely ineffective. Sanders departed for Dallas, and the Panthers brought in the guy he replaced. Dowdle should lessen the burden on Hubbard, while the team clearly has high hopes for Etienne as a change of pace back and returner.
Wide receivers
Tetairoa McMillan, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, Hunter Renfrow, Jimmy Horn Jr., Brycen Tremayne
This is the tough one. The Panthers actually have a deep room here for once. David Moore has had some moments and is an established veteran that the coaching staff clearly likes. Brycen Tremayne has earned some fans and the coaching staff sat him out for the last preseason game, which would be a weird move for a guy they didn’t plan on keeping. Seven wide receivers is a lot, but I don’t know who to cut from this group.
Tight Ends
Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, James Mitchell
The Panthers have spent a few middle round picks to stock up at the tight end position, and it seems like all of those recent selections are locks to make the roster. James Mitchell has been impressive in camp and in the preseason. It’d normally be hard to justify keeping four tight ends on the roster, but Tremble might not be ready for Week 1, so there’s temporarily room for some extra depth.
Offensive line
Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, Cade Mays, Yosh Nijman, Chandler Zavala
The starting five are locked in after a strong year together last year. Brady Christensen remains the do-it-all backup, while the team made a point to re-sign Mays despite having Corbett back as a starter. The backup offensive line has struggled in the preseason, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see some shakeups at the bottom of this group.
Defense
Defensive line
Derrick Brown, Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown III, A’Shawn Robinson, Cam Jackson, Shy Tuttle
I’m sure people would rather see a name other than Tuttle at the end of this list, but most coaching staffs like having veterans around. Jaden Crumedy and Jared Harrison-Hunte are also candidates for that last spot. The other five seem like pretty safe bets. The starting three, which includes the return of Derrick Brown, actually looks somewhat formidable.
Edge linebackers
Patrick Jones, DJ Wonnum, Nic Scourton, Princely Umanmielen, Thomas Incoom
Rookies Scourton and Umanmielen have a good chance to be the starters before long, but I think the established vets in Jones and Wonnum are going to get the nod to start the season. DJ Jones is everybody’s least favorite player, and it might be the end of his time here. Thomas Incoom has shown enough to warrant a look for the final roster.
Inside linebackers
Christian Rozeboom, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus, Krys Barnes, Jacoby Windmon
It’s really hard to tell who the Panthers are going to give the last linebacker spot(s) to, if they give them to anybody. Krys Byrnes started against the Steelers alongside Cherelus, so he seems to be the leader in the clubhouse for the spot, and Windmon had some moments last season. Rozeboom and Wallace will be the starters as they try to fill in for Josey Jewell, who was released while he deals with long term symptoms from a concussion he suffered late last season.
Cornerbacks
Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, Shemar Bartholomew, Corey Thornton
These five seem like sure bets to make the roster. The starters have been the starters since the offseason. Bartholomew and Thornton have been getting a lot of snaps and buzz for the backup spots.
Safeties
Tre’von Moehrig, Nick Scott, Demani Richardson, Lathan Ransom
No one wants Nick Scott to be on the roster, much less start, but I’d be surprised if he wasn’t starting week 1. Ransom made a strong case for himself in the preseason finale against the Steelers and Richardson has been working his way towards a starting spot since late last season. It’s likely that one of the two will be the starter alongside Moehrig before long, but that probably won’t be the case to start the season.
Specialists
Kicker: Ryan Fitzgerald
Punter: Sam Martin
Long snapper: JJ Jansen
The kicking battle has genuinely been one of the few positional battles that have drawn a significant amount of intrigue throughout camp. Fitzgerald has had some shaky moments, but the team probably wants he and his potential to work out over the journeyman Matthew Wright.
