The Panthers are heading into the final weekend with more than one undrafted player making a real case for a roster spot, and Haynes King is the name drawing the most attention.
If King gets on the field and looks anything like he did in the Hall of Fame Game, Carolina is going to have a hard call to make. The question is whether the team is willing to stash a clearly talented player on the practice squad, use one of its limited roster spots on a third quarterback, or even move on from Kenny Pickett. Every path appears to be in play.
King isn’t the only UDFA pushing his way into the conversation. Albert Reese IV has made a strong move at a position where the Panthers can’t afford to be thin.
With Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu out for the foreseeable future, Carolina is stretched at tackle, even with Rasheed Walker and Monroe Freeling in the mix. Reese helped his case by posting a team-high offensive PFF grade against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Aaron Hall is also hanging around the roster bubble. His preseason and training camp have been uneven, but the Panthers’ shaky defensive line depth gives him some breathing room. The former Duke lineman has obvious athletic ability, and the talent is there; now he has to keep stacking good work to beat out other players who also deserve consideration.
DeVonta Smith has put himself into the mix at cornerback. Carolina’s secondary has looked disjointed this preseason, but Smith stood out against the Jaguars. His best moment came on a play where he forced a fumble that Cam Gill recovered.
Then there’s Ja'seem Reed, who technically isn’t a UDFA anymore but still fits the same mold after entering the NFL undrafted with the Cleveland Browns last year before getting hurt. He didn’t play against the Jaguars, but his other preseason snaps have been strong enough to make the wide receiver decision tougher than Carolina would like. Reed has looked like a possible steal near the bottom of the depth chart, and he’s firmly in the fight for that first NFL roster spot.
In Other News...
Panthers Suddenly Have A Real QB Decision Behind Bryce Young
The Panthers have spent much of the offseason trying to steady the quarterback picture around Bryce Young, and for now the plan remains the same. But preseason has offered a small wrinkle in that conversation, thanks to Haynes King, the undrafted free agent who has looked sharp enough in limited action to make people around the team pay attention. He has outperformed the other quarterbacks in those brief opportunities and at least shown enough poise to suggest he belongs in the mix.
Still, Carolina is not expected to make a sudden switch at the top of the depth chart, and Young remains the starter the team is built around. The more realistic question is whether King has done enough to stick on the roster and develop as a backup, which would give the Panthers a useful young arm to keep in the building. Even without changing the immediate hierarchy, he has created a small but genuine decision for a team that could use more answers behind Young. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Tight End Battle Just Put JaTavion Sanders On Notice
JaTavion Sanders has spent the early part of his NFL career trying to carve out a bigger role in Carolina, but the early returns have been modest. Through 29 games, he has 62 catches for 532 yards and two touchdowns, and even as the Panthers work through the preseason, his place in the tight end room is suddenly less secure than it once looked.
The arrival of Darren Waller changes the calculus in a hurry, since he is expected to open the season as the starter and instantly reshapes the depth chart around him. Sanders was limited to one catch for six yards in a recent preseason game, and with roster decisions looming, Carolina now has to decide whether he still fits into the plan or whether the competition at the position has already moved past him. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Enters A Make-Or-Break Year With Too Much Unsettled
The Panthers have spent this offseason trying to give Bryce Young a better runway, but the picture around him still looks shakier than the roster-building would suggest. Carolina added help on offense, yet the supporting cast remains a work in progress, with a receiving group led by Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker drawing a middling PFF ranking and the ground game still searching for more juice.
What makes this such a pivotal year for Young is that even the unit that once looked like a team strength is no longer a sure thing. Carolinas offensive line, which had been among the leagues best, is dealing with injuries and personnel turnover, and key pieces like Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are sidelined. For a quarterback trying to establish himself, the Panthers have left him with a lot of unanswered questions and not much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]