The Panthers didn’t exactly leave Buffalo with much encouraging film to study, but the preseason doesn’t stop for bad tape. Carolina gets another shot this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and there are a handful of players who should tell us plenty about where this team stands right now.
Start with Bryce Young. Fair or not, the spotlight is going to land on him.
Carolina needs a cleaner offensive showing, and that usually means the quarterback is the first one asked to carry the load. Young needs more help around him - receivers have to separate, and the offensive line has to keep him upright - but he also has to play better if the Panthers are going to build any real confidence in him this season after what’s been a wonderful camp.
Jonathon Brooks is another name worth tracking closely. His first preseason game was his first NFL action in almost two years, and it looked like it.
The upside for Carolina is that he got through it healthy, which matters a lot. Now comes the harder part: production.
The Panthers are expecting Chuba Hubbard back by Week 1, but the preseason figures to be Brooks’ stage, and he has a chance to show he deserves more work and maybe even a path to RB1 after a middling opener.
Up front, the Panthers also need answers behind Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. Their absence in Buffalo made it painfully clear how much they matter. Brady Christensen and Chandler Zavala haven’t done enough as backups so far, and this week gives one of them another opportunity to step in and look capable if injuries force Carolina to lean on depth.
Mike Jackson also comes into this matchup under the microscope after a rough outing against the Bills. Open receivers were finding space too often when he was in coverage, and while the zone scheme didn’t seem to help him much, that’s still the system Carolina is using. He’ll need to adjust and get back to the excellent 2025 form he’s shown at his best.
Then there’s Jaelan Phillips, who is being watched for a very different reason. Carolina isn’t asking whether he can recover from a bad game.
It’s more about whether he can keep doing what he already showed in limited action. Phillips was excellent, logging a sack in the red zone and a pressure in just nine total snaps.
That’s exactly the kind of impact the Panthers hoped for when they signed him to that four-year, $120 million contract, and now they’ll want to see him keep it going against Jacksonville.
In Other News...
Panthers Depth Chart Just Raised New Questions About Key Roster Battles
The Panthers unofficial preseason depth chart offered a few hints about how the staff is sorting out the bottom of the roster as camp moves along. Wide receiver depth remains tied not just to receiving production but to special teams value, and the guard picture has been muddied by injuries, leaving several backups waiting for a chance to climb despite some encouraging showings.
At tight end, Darren Waller is still at the bottom of the chart for now because he has not yet played or practiced, which leaves his spot more about timing than evaluation at this stage. Elsewhere, Princely Umanmielen has turned in a solid run in a starting role, but he has not yet pushed past the current starter opposite Jaelan Phillips, a reminder that early preseason momentum does not always translate directly into a move up the board. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Framed The Panthers Problem Fans Keep Debating
ESPNs latest future power rankings offered a blunt snapshot of where the Panthers stand as they try to build beyond the present. Louis Riddicks projection for 2027 to 2029 slotted Carolina 23rd overall with a score of 74.7, and the numbers echoed a familiar theme for this franchise: there are pieces worth believing in, but not enough certainty to make the climb feel quick or easy. The roster outside of quarterback came in 25th, while the coaching staff and front office were graded more respectably at 16th and 20th.
The debate around Carolina remains centered on whether the organization can get enough steady play from Bryce Young and keep the offense from being undone by health issues up front. ESPNs analysts pointed to the teams defensive spending and the arrival of rookie Tetairoa McMillan as reasons for some optimism, but the bigger question still hangs over the offense. Until the quarterback play becomes more consistent and the line stays intact, the Panthers are likely to keep drawing the kind of mixed reviews that leave fans arguing about whether the arrow is really pointing up. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Send A Clear Bryce Young Message In New Mock Draft
With the draft still ahead and a mid-first-round pick in hand, the Panthers are once again being sized up for how they plan to support Bryce Young. Carolina already addressed one important piece by selecting Monroe Freeling, who has worked his way into a starting role before the season even begins, and now the focus in a new mock draft has shifted to a different part of the roster. The projection has the Panthers picking seventh overall in 2027 and turning to pass rusher Colin Simmons, a move that speaks more to building the defense than chasing another quarterback.
For a team that has spent plenty of time under the microscope at the games most important position, the bigger takeaway is what the mock leaves out. Even with a deep class of quarterbacks available later in the round, Carolina does not come off this projection looking like a club in a hurry to replace Young or force the issue early. Instead, the message is one of patience and roster construction, with the Panthers betting their next major swing should come on the edge rather than under center. [Read more 🡒]