Haynes King made the kind of preseason debut that gets people talking, even if the game itself won’t count for much in the standings. The Carolina Panthers edged the Arizona Cardinals 33-30 in the Hall of Fame Game, and King’s late stretch into the end zone as time expired sealed it. For a game that means nothing in the record book, it still offered a useful snapshot of who helped and who hurt their stock.
King was the clear winner. He finished 21 of 34 for 219 total yards, three total touchdowns and no interceptions, and he looked comfortable running the show.
By the Panthers’ read, he had only one truly bad miss all night, and he handled the moment with the kind of poise that can change a backup quarterback conversation fast. He might be the new backup QB.
Jimmy Horn Jr. also came away with a boost. One of King’s best throws of the night was a beautiful route for what should have been a touchdown to Horn, and even though the pass wasn’t completed, Horn still had a strong overall showing.
He had been relatively quiet in camp, so this was the kind of night he needed. He made a few nice catches and gave the offense a real lift.
The Panthers’ receiver group had a solid showing overall, but David Moore did not separate himself. The veteran wideout is well liked by the coaching staff, yet he did nothing notable in the game. In a night when others flashed, Moore’s lack of impact stood out.
Brad Idzik’s offense also came away with some positive notes. The Panthers have viewed it as an extension of the Dave Canales system, and the play-calling looked sharp in the Hall of Fame Game. That’s one of the few preseason takeaways that actually carries some weight, and it was encouraging to see it on point.
Not everything was clean on the Panthers’ side, though. Will Lee entered the game with some buzz after a strong training camp and talk that he could force his way onto the field as a rookie, but that momentum cooled quickly. He did have a pass breakup, but he also got beat badly a few times in coverage.
The secondary as a whole had a rough night. Carson Beck and his receivers picked them apart in the first half, with cornerbacks and safeties giving up too much space and failing to create any real disruption. The Panthers were lucky Beck didn’t keep going.
Lee Hunter also got an opportunity, but it didn’t lead to much. He looked raw and rough around the edges, which was not what the Panthers had expected coming out of college. He’ll need time before he gets rolling.
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