With one preseason game left before the Panthers turn the page to roster cuts, practice squad moves and the start of game week, the conversation is already shifting from exhibition football to the real decisions that matter.
One of the biggest questions hanging over the NFC South is whether Carolina can hold off the rest of the division. Based only on what’s shown in the preseason, there’s not much appetite for drawing firm conclusions.
The Falcons are viewed as a team that could be in trouble unless Michael Penix really bounces back, while the Buccaneers are seen as a legitimate threat to win the division. The Saints, meanwhile, are expected to be competitive again.
Even so, the division is still being treated as wide open and difficult to pin down.
That same uncertainty carries into the projected finish. The order listed was the Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints and Falcons, with the top of the division expected to be tightly packed in the standings. It was also noted that Carolina could fall to third or even fourth by only a game or two, with tiebreakers potentially deciding the final picture.
The roster churn is coming too, and the Panthers are expected to be active once waivers open. The expectation is that Carolina could claim two players off waivers for the initial 53-man roster, while two current Panthers who are cut could land on other teams’ initial 53s. Xavier Legette was specifically ruled out as a waiver candidate in that discussion, and the broader view was that this year’s Panthers roster looks deeper than it has in recent seasons.
A few individual roster battles are starting to settle. Corey Thorton was mentioned as a player who should make the team, with the reasoning that he already made the roster last season and played valuable regular-season snaps before injuries hit.
At cornerback, there are four players ahead of him on the depth chart: Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade and Will Lee III. The expectation is that at least five cornerbacks make the roster, with one or two more likely to end up on the practice squad.
The rookie class, for the most part, appears to be in good shape. There was little reason seen for Carolina to cut any of its draft picks outright.
Will Lee III, Sam Hecht and Zakee Wheatley were described as pretty safe, while Jackson Kuwatch could be waived and then sent to the practice squad. As for undrafted free agents, that part of the roster picture was left alone.
At running back, the concern level is low for Chuba Hubbard. The sense is that Carolina is taking a cautious approach with what was described as a soft tendon issue, and there’s no need to push him in the preseason.
The expectation is that Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks will share a healthy number of carries once the games count. If Hubbard is still limited, Trevor Etienne could get work as well.
The biggest takeaway there: running back is not the position causing the most anxiety right now.
There was also some speculation about Haynes King. It was acknowledged that the Panthers could let him hit waivers and try to bring him back to the practice squad, though the more likely outcome was framed as King sticking and Kyle Trask being released. Still, the possibility of King getting waived and claimed by the Falcons was described as something that would sting.
Beyond the football questions, the mailbag also veered into a couple of personal favorites. Jolene and I Will Always Love You were named as favorite Dolly Parton songs, with Dollywood getting a mention as well. On the Tim Curry side, his version of It was the pick.
The final note was simple: after spending all this time trying to project the preseason puzzle, it’s time to stop guessing and let the real thing begin.
In Other News...
Panthers Just Made Cutdown Day Tougher At One Key Position
The Panthers closed the preseason at 3-1, and the record only tells part of the story. What stood out most was how much depth Carolina seemed to uncover on the defensive side, along with encouraging work from players such as Feleipe Franks and Jimmy Horn Jr. as the roster began to take shape.
Wide receiver may end up being one of the trickiest calls of cutdown day. Several pass catchers made positive cases for themselves in August, giving the Panthers a genuinely crowded conversation at a spot where every final decision matters and the margin for error is thin. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers End Preseason With One Reason Fans Should Feel Better
The Panthers closed the preseason with a 16-13 home win over the Texans, and the box score looked a lot like what you would expect from a final tune-up in late August. Most of the work came from backups, the game stayed tight and points were hard to come by, but Carolina still left with a 3-1 preseason mark and a little more confidence heading into the real thing.
Kenny Pickett and Kyle Trask both got snaps, with Trask helping steady the offense through the air, while Miles Davis supplied the touchdown in a game shaped more by defense and field goals than big plays. The more encouraging sign for Carolina may have been what happened on the other side of the ball, where the Panthers limited Houston to 173 total yards and looked more like a team ready to carry some preseason momentum forward. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Preseason Win Just Made Several Roster Battles Tougher
The Panthers preseason win over the Texans did more than add another positive result to August. It gave the coaching staff one more live look at a handful of players fighting for jobs, and the defensive side of the ball had some performances that made the evaluation a little more complicated. Jared Harrison-Hunte flashed as a pass-rush presence, Trevin Wallace also made his mark with pressure, and the overall tape offered enough encouraging moments to keep several names in the conversation as the roster cut deadline approaches.
Peter Hansens role added another wrinkle to the night. With the linebackers coach handling defensive play-calling instead of the usual coordinator style, the game had a slightly different feel for a unit trying to sort out roles and responsibilities on the fly. For some backups, the inconsistency only made the path tougher, while for others the opportunity to stand out in a crowded competition was exactly what they needed. [Read more 🡒]