Fear not—the preseason schedule is, mercifully, almost over. The Carolina Panthers will finish off their August schedule on Friday night, against the Houston Texans at Bank of America Stadium.
Head coaches Dave Canales and DeMeco Ryans have already agreed not to play their starters
in Charlotte this evening. So, we will get a good look at some backups, and players who are fighting for bigger roles and roster spots.Here are four players to keep an eye on in this preseason finale . . .
RB AJ Dillon
With Chuba Hubbard sidelined and Jonathon Brooks consistently getting stuffed by bad run blocking, the Panthers haven't gotten much out of the backfield this month. But the exception to the rule has been the sixth-year vet in Dillon—who has shown impressive explosiveness
as a rusher and some abilities as a catch-and-run option.
Dillon may be forcing the Panthers to keep four running backs on their initial 53-man roster—possibly joining the likes of Hubbard, Brooks and Trevor Etienne. If we don't see a decent amount of him, he may have already earned the spot.
WR John Metchie III
Despite entering the weekend as the team's leading receiver in preseason play, Metchie might be facing an uphill battle to make the roster. He doesn't provide as much value on special teams as Brycen Tremayne and Jimmy Horn Jr., and he may have already been surpassed in the pecking order by Ja'seem Reed.
Metchie continued to make a very strong case for himself during Wednesday's joint practice with the Texans, where he reeled in a 30-yard touchdown. Another eye-opening outing could make the Panthers think even harder about his future beyond this weekend.
OLB Cam Gill
Along with his 2026 UFL Defensive Player of the Year award, GIll returned to Carolina this offseason with an improved pass rush. He's recorded four pressures over three preseason games, and is the team's third-highest graded defender (79.5) by Pro Football Focus.
The season-ending ACL tear to Nic Scourton has left the Panthers looking for some depth off the edge, and Gill may be able to provide it if he ends his summer on a high note.
CB Corey Thornton
Chau Smith-Wade, in somewhat of a surprise, may be leading Thornton in the competition at nickel. He recorded a fantastic interception last week in Jacksonville while Thornton has struggled quite a bit in coverage.
The second-year defensive back needs to bounce back and remind the Panthers why he was one of last summer's top standouts.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: 4 Panthers players to watch in Friday's preseason finale vs. Texans
