Going into Sunday night, the Panthers rush defense was viewed as the worst in the entire NFL. Facing star running back Jahmyr Gibbs created a recipe for disaster. Against all odds, Carolina was able to hold Gibbs to just 46 rushing yards although he did find the end zone once.

While the rush defense was quite impressive for the Panthers, so much focus was on slowing down Gibbs that they allowed Lions quarterback Jared Goff to throw for over 400 yards and a touchdown. The good news for Carolina was that their offense was so strong, it did not matter.

Bryce Young looked like a legitimate MVP candidate, throwing for 329 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. For the first time in his career, he opened the game with 11 straight completions, looking like prime Peyton Manning. Young did it behind a depleted offensive line and without two of his favorite targets, Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette, who were out with injuries. Young’s number one target (WR1), Tetairoa McMillan, took the workload of all missing receivers and carried the Panthers to victory.

McMillan had a career night, catching 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. His superhuman performance overshadowed how impressive the run game was for Carolina as well.

Chuba Hubbard had 20 carries for 122 yards on the ground and a touchdown in addition to the nearly unstoppable passing game drawn up by offensive coordinator Brad Idzik.

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Until the fourth quarter, it looked like the Panthers were going to run away with a massive lead and never look back. The Lions offense is just too good not to put up a fight and Goff gave his team a chance to get back into the ballgame late in the fourth quarter.

Following a methodical drive that ended in a touchdown cutting the Panthers’ lead to six, the Lions were able to get the ball back with a little over two minutes to go. Deep in their own territory, Detroit felt the pressure and turned the ball over on downs with no timeouts remaining. Young and the Panthers went into victory formation, taking a couple of knees to let the clock expire and preserve their 32-26 advantage.

Carolina gets to enjoy this huge win for an extra amount of time as they head into their bye week and recuperate before heading to Philadelphia to take on Jalen Hurts and the Eagles on October 18th. No doubt Canales and his staff will be pulling film from this win to remind their team how no challenge is too much if they play to their full potential.

https://x.com/Panthers/status/2106744938733941155

Carolina started their year with a less than ideal performance against the Bears, followed that with a huge statement win over their division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons but most recently fell to the Cleveland Browns. Trying to explain the start of the 2026-2027 season feels impossible. Expectations regarding multiple teams, including the Panthers, remain unknown. 

In somewhat unfamiliar territory, the Panthers contest against the Lions on Sunday will be nationally televised on NBC with a 8:20 kickoff. This will undoubtedly be a tough task for the Panthers defense specifically. 

With the arm of veteran quarterback Jared Goff and the elite run game of Jahmyr Gibbs, the Panthers’ defense is going to have to get creative to limit points. Detroit putting up points is going to be inevitable with the Panthers dealing with absences of key defenders like Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. They can only hope to control the bleeding and hope Sunday doesn’t turn into a gushing wound. 

For Carolina to have a chance to stay in the game with the Lions, the offense will need to be a little more efficient than it was a week ago when they could only put up 18 points, finding the end zone just once. 

Even considering their struggles against the Browns, the Panthers offense still has shown signs of being a threat with Bryce Young under center. In what could be viewed as his worst game of the season so far, Young still put up 291 passing yards and a touchdown. His lone turnover was an interception off a prayer thrown up on the last drive of the game. 

Young will have to coordinate his offense without receiver Xavier Legette who is still dealing with a knee injury. One of Young’s favorite targets this season so far, Jalen Coker, is also questionable with a quad concern but his status for Sunday night has yet to be confirmed. 

The Panthers have had multiple opportunities over the first three weeks of the season to start the year 3-0. Instead, they find themselves at 1-2 heading into the toughest stretch of their schedule (Next Games: Eagles, Buccaneers, Packers, Broncos). The good news for Carolina is that the rest of the NFC South is also 1-2, besides the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are 0-3. 

Oddly enough, defending the NFC south remains in reach for the Panthers so motivation should stay strong over the coming weeks. Carolina will head into their bye week following Sunday’s contest against the Lions so there is no doubt we will see players leaving everything they have on the field knowing they will get some extra recovery time. 

With a high-powered offense of Detroit, Carolina’s injuries and the play of Bryce Young so far this season, Sunday Night Football on NBC this week has the makings of being a high scoring, back and forth game. Look for this to be the perfect entertainment to cap off the weekend. 

This was a low scoring affair without a lot of excitement that took place, especially in the first half. So when the fourth quarter rolled around and the score was 10-9, it was anyone’s ball game.

Early in the 4th quarter, Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald nailed his fourth field goal of the game from 37 yards out to give Carolina the 12-10 advantage. The Browns and Andre Szmyt responded with a field goal of their own five minutes later and re-claimed the lead.

On the day, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young still threw for nearly 300 yards (291 to be exact) with key pieces like Xavier Leggette missing from the offense. His lone touchdown pass came in a timely manner, finding John Metchie III in the end zone for an eight yard touchdown reception to make the score 18-13. Carolina went for two to try and extend the lead to seven but the attempt was unsuccessful.

With 4:25 left in regulation, it was up to the beaten up Panthers’ defense to hold on and secure the road win. However, without the impact of players like LB Devin Lloyd and S Nick Scott, the combination of pass rush and coverage down field was minimal. Browns QB Deshaun Watson was able to escape pressure when it did show up and move the chains with his legs. Extending plays like Watson did also provided receivers more time to get free resulting in big gains.

Carolina’s defense collapsed, allowing Watson to put together an eight play, 65 yard drive in just over two and a half minutes that resulted in a 14-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. Cleveland was successful on their two point conversion attempt to make it a three point game, 21-18, Browns.

With 1:48 left on the clock and three time outs, Young and the Carolina offense found themselves in familiar territory from a year ago. The “Cardiac Cats” as many refer to the Panthers, seem to have a knack for coming back in late game situations. This was not the case on Sunday. Carolina’s offensive line could not hold up and give Young the time needed to get long shots open down field and the Cleveland defense dropped their secondary back to avoid giving up big gains.

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After punting the ball back to Cleveland with 1:27 left in the game, Carolina’s defense came up with a big three and out series that gave them the ball back but this time with no timeouts remaining.

The first play of the drive was an 11-yard gain on a pass to Darren Waller. Later in the drive, Young found Brycen Tremmayne for another 20-yard gain, taking them all the way to the Carolina 42 yard-line. At this point, it looked like Carolina would get the chance to at the very least attempt a long field goal to send it into overtime.

These dreams were crushed when on third down from their own 42, Young was under pressure and his pass attempt downfield was tipped and resulted in an interception. Cleveland took over, took a knee and celebrated a hard-fought win.

The Panthers have now fallen to 1-2 on the year, like most of the NFC South. It appears early on, yet again, no one wants to take over the division as all teams in the NFC South were defeated on Sunday. This loss for Carolain was pretty deflating as they head into the toughest stretch of their schedule this year. Their next five games are against the following opponents: Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and Denver Broncos.

The Panthers hope to get healthy over the next week and be back at full strength before hosting the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football on October 4th.

Earlier this week, running back Jonathan Brooks was placed on the IR as he is facing a surgery that will keep him sidelined at least 6 weeks. While Brooks had yet to break out this season like many expected, he was still part of the game plan every week and this news forced Canales and his staff to start prepping how they were going to manage the run game in Cleveland. Unfortunately for Canales, this is far from the end of injuries looming in the Panthers’ lockroom.

In week one, the Panthers defense seemed to look like the absolute worst in the league but then they followed that up with a performance in Atlanta that showed they might actually have potential. Week three will now be a massive question mark as they face a bottom-tier offense but will be without LB Devin Lloyd who was seemingly in every defensive play a week ago. Lloyd is dealing with a calf injury and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game.

In addition to Lloyd, LB Claudin Cherelus has also been ruled out with a shoulder injury. Panthers fans may say to themselves, well at least the secondary is strong and can help prevent big plays. Not so fast. The secondary is not at full strength either as S Nick Scott is out with a rib injury.

It is starting to look like if the Panthers want to prove themselves this week, they are going to have to put up a large number of points. Through the first two weeks of the season, Carolina QB Bryce Young ranks second in passing yards at 648. While this is encouraging, a lot of those yards have been to Jalen Coker who, yes you guessed it, is on the injury report. Coker is currently listed as questionable with an ankle concern so he could still play but Carolina will need to have a plan in case he is not available. This would bump Xavier Leggette up to WR2, right? Oh boy.

Leggette himself is also questionable with a knee injury, creating the largest amount of uncertainty Canales and the Panthers could have ever imagined this early in the season. If there is anything good trending for Carolina heading into week three, it is that they are facing the Cleveland Browns and should now have full trust in their quarterback, Bryce Young.

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Given all of these wild circumstances, it is possible that we could see a sloppy game on Sunday. From Canales’ perspective, there would be absolutely nothing wrong with just managing the game, putting up just enough points to get a victory on the road and getting the heck out of town. We will see what the Panthers’ staff can cook up before 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday with all of their challenges.

This was supposed to be Brooks’ comeback year as he had fought hard to recover from not one, but two ACL tears. During training camp, Brooks displayed a fantastic mix of power running and explosive speed and had fans buzzing about his potential this season.

On Wednesday, the Panthers announced that Brooks has unfortunately suffered another significant injury that is going to keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapport, Brooks is expected to miss at least six weeks as he faces a surgery to repair what is being described as a “core muscle injury”.

Frankly, it is not like the Panthers have seen massive contributions from Brooks through the first two weeks of the season. From this perspective, it is easy to assume that the Carolina offense won’t be missing a whole lot, however, game plans have to change as the depth chart does.

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Although Brooks had not got going yet, it was definitely in Dave Canales’ vision that he would turn into a vital piece to the Panthers’ run game. Now that the injury bug has struck again, the Carolina front office has already been busy trying to fill the small void left in the backfield.

What is next for the Panthers?

After week one of this season, Carolina fans were given assurance by GM Dan Morgan that when there is an issue that needs attention, he is going to address it as fast as possible. Following the shocking loss that saw the Panthers allow 59 points in the season opener, roster moves were made to improve the defense, even though it meant parting ways with someone who was thought of at one time a piece of the offensive future in Charlotte (Jimmy Horn Jr.). Morgan and his staff have already started weighing options they have to beef up the backfield in Brooks’ absence.

Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston shared on Wednesday that veteran running back Austin Ekeler has scheduled to work out for the Panthers soon. Ekeler has faced his own injuries as of late, only playing two games a season ago before tearing his achilles. However, at just 31 years of age, Ekeler could still have a lot left in the tank if his recovery from that devastating injury went well.

Ekeler has spent time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders over his nine seasons in the NFL, posting over 9,000 yards from scrimmage and 73 touchdowns between a solid mix of carries and receptions.

If Carolina likes what they see from Ekeler and are able to bring him into Charlotte, we could see Bryce Young gain yet another weapon that could be difficult for other teams to defend. Even if Ekeler does not work out, Carolina fans should feel peace in knowing that the team is looking for ways to improve following the bitter news of Brooks’ injury.

It is unlikely that any deal is done in time to see major changes in the offense this coming Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. We can expect AJ Dillon to get a few carries this coming week with Chuba Hubbard still at the top of the depth chart in the running game.

Carolina only allowed three points in an impressive 34-3 rout of their division foes. For Dave Canales’ squad, this was a great, clean game that had contributors from every aspect but the highlight of the day was the defense. What already appeared to be Carolina’s biggest weakness all of the sudden became their biggest strength.

Carolina’s defense was under a microscope as they had already been flagged by the league as potentially the worst defensive unit in the NFL. The Panthers responded to this slander exactly the way Carolina fans wanted to see. On the first play from scrimmage, the Panthers forced Falcons QB Cooper Rush out of the pocket and caused a fumble, recovered in Atlanta territory. With excellent field position, Bryce Young and the Panthers’ offense capitalized by finding running back Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield for a three yard touchdown reception on fourth down to make it 7-0 Carolina.

The Panthers never looked back as they scored the first 20 points of the game. Atlanta finally put points on the board late in the second quarter with a Nick Folk 41-yard field goal but that was the only scoring of the game for the Falcons.

The defense of Carolina took advantage of facing a true third string quarterback in Cooper Rush as well as rookie QB Jack Strand taking some snaps later in the contest. The Panthers forced and recovered two fumbles and had three interceptions, including one for a pick-six by LB Devin Lloyd, who the Panthers signed this offseason.

Even when the Panthers were not taking the football away, the pass rush of the defense forced the Falcons to make some quick decisions with the football that often led to a loss of yards or incomplete passes.

A lot of analysts will argue that the Panthers defensive performance on Sunday was not all that impressive just because it was against a Falcons team with a beat up quarterback room. While it is true this gave Carolina an advantage, Atlanta still had playmakers like Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr. on the field. With weapons like this you would think any quarterback could at least produce a touchdown against the Panthers. Credit has to be given where credit is due and all of Sunday’s credit belongs to the Carolina defense.

One thing no one can argue with is that Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is absolutely on fire over the first two weeks of the season and Carolina’s OC Brad Idzik seems to be a play calling genius. For the second consecutive week, the Panthers have put up over 30 points and Bryce Young is airing it out, using all of his weapons.

Young went 23/36 in the air on Sunday for 287 yards, only getting sacked twice and not turning the football over. Taking sacks and interceptions from poor decision-making has been Young’s kryptonite in previous years but it appears the offensive line is giving him better protection which allows plays to develop and young rising stars such as Tetairo McMillan and Jalen Coker get open for big gains.

McMillan hit the century mark in receiving yards on Sunday, catching five passes for a total of 101 yards. Coker was the second leading receiver for the Panthers having eight catches for 66 yards.

Idzik’s offensive playbook has opened up for Young with so many weapons, including reliable tight ends that has not been much of a factor in the last three seasons. Darren Waller, Mitchell Evans and Tommy Tremble all contributed to the offense’s success with at least one catch. Waller had three receptions and found the end zone twice as well for two touchdowns.

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The Panthers’ win over the Falcons on Sunday was a true statement win. Carolina responded to the criticism their defense received (and deservingly so) after week one. Canales and his staff had their guys clicking on all cylinders and proved they are ready to defend the NFC South. The Panthers will travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns next week for another favorable matchup and look to build on the momentum from this Falcons’ obliteration.

If there is one bright spot from Carolina’s first week struggles, it is the fact that the rest of the division also lost so it is almost like that loss didn’t mean a thing (for the time being at least). Wins just might be hard to come by in the NFC South, especially given the brutal nonconference schedule in the 2026 campaign. Head to head matchups in the division could be crucial for postseason implications this year.

For as bad as the Carolina defense looked a week ago, the offense passed the eye test, putting up 37 points behind quarterback Bryce Young’s 361 passing yards and three touchdowns. Of course credit still has to be given where it is due but it is safe to say Young and company will have a much bigger test on Sunday when they face a top tier pass defense instead of one that ranks near the bottom of the NFL.

In order for the Panthers offense to have the same level of success as a week ago, Young will have to stay composed in a hostile environment on the road, take care of the football and new play-caller, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will have to continue attacking all aspects of the game. Idzik did a great job in the first game of the season designing redirection plays, balancing the run game with the pass and using play action off the run game. Atlanta is coming off a close week one loss where they only gave up 20 points to the Pittsburgh Steelers, only allowing one touchdown to a stellar offense. Something will have to give between the offense of Carolina and the strong defense of Atlanta.

On the defensive side, Carolina cannot exactly relax but they do not have as tall of a task when it comes to the opposing quarterback. Caleb Williams was able to use his athleticism and big arm to expose the holes in the Panthers’ defense last week but Cooper Rush, the 10th year veteran taking the snaps for the Falcons, will be more of a game manager.

Big plays down the field may not be the concern of the Panthers this week but they will have to still find a way to get off the field on third down and put a halt to long, methodical Atlanta drives. The Falcons still have some of the best offensive players in the entire NFL with running back Bijan Robinson who had 173 all purpose yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh and tight end Kyle Pitts Jr. who did not have a catch against the Steelers so is bound to show up big against the Panthers.

The key for the Panthers to begin the process of defending the top spot in the NFC South tomorrow will be getting the defense off the field. No matter how good the Panthers offense can be, scoring points Sunday in Atlanta will be a little more difficult and if Rush is able to piece together long drives, Carolina may not ever even have the ball long enough to make a comeback.

It is worth noting that the Panthers wasted no time in trying to aid their broken defense as they signed linebacker Tyrel Dodson off their practice squad. Dodson has NFL experience and could potentially be a band-aid in the pass rush department for head coach Dave Canales. Perhaps the addition of Dodson can be just enough to get pressure on Rush and cause chaos resulting in forcing punts.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. By no means is Week Two already a “must-win” contest for the Panthers but a loss would mean they are already putting their shovels to the ground, digging a hole they do not want to find themselves in.

There were more than 100 players in attendance with varying basketball experience and the talent poured in from all over the country. Some players who originally reign all the way from New York, while others came from right here in our backyard, like Joe’l Pettiford, who played at UNC Pembroke last season.

The tryout gave players a chance to showcase their talents. Tryouts began with shootaround time for players to get loose before the drills and games began.

After shootaround, tryouts were opened by the new Greensboro Swarm leadership, General Manager Mike Pires and Head Coach Zach Peterson.

Pires assured all participants that all staff in attendance were there to help and support the players.

“Staff, myself, Coach, black shirts [Greensboro Swarm assistant coaches], we are all here for you," Pires said to participants before the open tryout began

After Swarm leadership introduced themselves and gave the players a lay of the land for the day, Swarm coaches led player drills, including new Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development William Twigg.

Coach Twigg is a newcomer to the Greensboro Swarm staff. He is apart of the NBA Coaches Development Program, a program that works to build the next generation of coaches.

I spoke with Twigg following tryouts and learned about his wide array of coaching experience, including the fact he has been coaching since the age of 11.

Outside of coaching since the age of 11, he was most recently coaching at the NBA G League Elite Camp. It is clear his experience will be a nice addition to the Swarm coaching staff.

After player drills (3 man weave, dribble penetration kick drills, etc.) it was time for 5 on 5, the highlight of the day for many. The players were broken up into eight separate teams. There were 4 courts in total for the teams to get their runs in.

This was a great opportunity for players like Isiah Golden and Joe’l Pettiford to showcase their talent for the GM and coaches that were in attendance.

I was able to catch up with both Pettiford and Golden after tryouts and get their POV on the day, what they were hoping to get out of the tryout, and how they enjoy the experience.

Golden quickly showed his skills as a tenacious defender and a floor general on offense.

I asked Golden about his defensive presence following open tryouts.

“For me defense is a big thing. Everyone wants to score the ball, but if you play defense, thats how a lot of teams can get out and run and get open shots,” Golden said following Open Tryouts.

Basically once the defense starts kicking in easy buckets follow.

Next, Joe’l Pettiford was a force to be reckoned with on the boards and showing eye popping athleticism, even catching a few lob dunks, and playing primarily above the rim.

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Pettiford, who just wrapped up his last season at UNC Pembroke, was a force to be reckoned with on the boards. He showed eye popping athleticism, catching a few lob dunks and playing primarily above the rim.

I also asked Joe’l what he was hoping to show off to the coaches today and one thing he called out was how much impact he brings to the game. He is hoping to continue his basketball career with the Swarm following his last season at Pembroke.

Another cool part about the tryout was family members were able to attend for a fee of $5.

Family members of participants, like Seth Pettiford, were able to support their family members from the sidelines.

All in all, this was a tremendous event and a great way for the community to really come out, get involved, and meet other people in the who enjoy basketball.

Continue to follow West Franklin Media. Will will be covering the Greensboro swarm all this season.

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Horn Jr. was released on Tuesday to make room for linebacker Tyrel Dodson who is coming off the practice squad. Dodson, 28, has seen time in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Dodson is also no stranger to Panthers’ GM Dan Morgan who was on staff with the Buffalo Bills when they signed him after being passed on in the draft.

The addition of Dodson to the NFL roster feels much needed for Carolina but releasing Horn Jr. in the process does feel like the Panthers just gave up on what could have been a valuable piece down the road for their offense.

In the Panthers’ loss to Chicago on Sunday, Horn Jr. did not exactly have the game of his life as he did not have a reception and was only targeted one time. He was also the Panthers’ punt returner and muffed a punt deep in his own territory to set up a short Chicago scoring drive at a crucial point in the game.

While that muffed punt could be viewed as a turning point in the game, it is one of the many mistakes made by the Panthers that lead to them starting the season 0-1. It is also worth noting that Horn Jr. was Carolina’s sixth round pick in the 2025 draft. It is safe to say Horn Jr.’s time in Charlotte was not quite enough to show what he can do.

At the end of the day, building a successful roster in the NFL takes making tough business decisions and that is exactly what happened in the Panthers’ front office on Tuesday. Carolina obviously needs reinforcement on the defensive side of the ball and the offense looked capable of scoring points without Horn Jr. ‘s services on Sunday so he becomes the odd man out for the addition of Dodson. Despite having potential, Horn Jr. just doesn’t fit the current needs of Carolina. The Panthers have a chance to show they are ready to put the first week of the season behind them by flipping the script defensively on Sunday against their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons.

The Panthers allowed the most points they ever have in a season opener (59) behind a practically super-human performance by the Bears’ signal caller. Williams went 21 for 29 on pass attempts, racking up 269 yards and two passing touchdowns. The impressive stat line does not end there. Williams additionally proved he can be a major dual threat, carrying the football 10 times for 65 yards and finding the end zone with his legs on two other occasions, ultimately accounting for four total touchdowns on the day.

It did not take long for this season opener to hint at the idea that it was going to be a thriller. Just under four minutes into the game, Carolina quarterback Bryce Young found Chuba Hubbard in the end zone to open the scoring. Chicago answered with two touchdowns of their own to go up 21-7 in the second quarter.

Carolina punched back with two more touchdowns of their own in the second quarter, including a 51-yard deep ball to Jalen Coker who was the Panthers’ leading receiver of the day with 8 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

A couple of field goals from each team had the game tied with only a few ticks left until halftime. It appeared that it would be all square heading into the break but Caleb Williams had other plans.

Carolina’s defense, or the lack thereof, found a way to allow Williams to escape the pocket and sprint his way into the end zone for a touchdown with just 22 seconds left in the first half to cap off a Bears’ six play drive that only took two minutes and thirteen seconds to go 80 yards. This gave Chicago a 31-24 lead going into the second half.

After the Panthers tied the game again at 31 with a Chuba Hubbard touchdown, the Bears seemed to discover a new gear on the offensive side of the football.

Chicago scored three unanswered touchdowns and put together some very methodical drives that just took the air out of Bank of America Stadium and the Bears walked out of Charlotte with an impressive 59-37 victory.

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While on paper the margin of victory for Chicago looks concerning from the Panthers’ point of view, it is hard to say that Carolina did not have chances to win the game. It just felt like the defense could never get stops when it mattered the most.

On the day, Chicago was 10-14 on 3rd down and seemed to always find a way to move the chains when they had to. Carolina also shot themselves in the foot on several separate occasions with penalties with flags being thrown on them 11 times throughout the game costing them a total of 84 yards. This includes a second half roughing the passer penalty that put the Bears in prime scoring position when it looked like Carolina had a chance to gain momentum back. Ultimately, this is where momentum shifted in Chicago’s favor and stayed there until the final snap.

As many predicted, the lack of pressure on Caleb Williams from the Carolina pass rush that is not exactly elite truly cost Dave Canales’ squad. Allowing 59 points on 70 total plays and only sacking the quarterback twice will humble a professional football team quickly. It is safe to say every single aspect of defensive performance has to improve for the Panthers if they want to compete this season and it would be a waste of time to say otherwise.

If there is any bright side at all for Carolina after this deflating home loss, it is the play of quarterback Bryce Young. This was the most comfortable Young has ever looked under center in the National Football League and was able to prove why Carolina took him first overall in the draft a few years ago.

Young went 23 for 37 in the air for an eyebrow raising 361 yards and three touchdowns. His only “blemish” in his stat line is his one interception but that came with a short amount of time left in the first half when the Panthers offense was playing extra aggressive to add some points before halftime. His decision making looked like a true professional who can lead his team to some success.

One could make the argument that part of the reason Young was able to be so successful on Sunday was because he was given better protection. He only took two sacks the entire game which is minimal compared to what he has been forced to sustain in recent years.

Seeing Young take deep shots down the field, stand in the pocket and grow through his progressions while also using his legs when he needed to should be a great sign for Panthers fans.

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Carolina should be able to score this season, as the new-look offense under offensive coordinator Brad Idzik opens up deep balls off play-action, misdirection and more targets for tight ends. It is the other side of the ball that already has Panthers fans on edge.

Carolina has a week to regroup before visiting NFC South rival Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 20. The Falcons are coming off a close loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but after watching the Panthers’ Week 1, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts Sr. are likely licking their chops.

Young is still looking to earn his spot with the Panthers long-term. With multiple upgrades on the offensive line and more stable offensive weapons, expectations for Young could are the highest they have ever been in his young career.

The end of last season made Young’s future look promising, but he is still going to have to take care of the football. Historically the former Heisman Trophy winner’s issue has been directly connected to poor decision making resulting in interceptions, especially in the red zone.

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Perhaps one factor that could solve this issue is the “new look” offense we will see from the Panthers. Instead of the plays being called in by head coach Dave Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will now be in charge of the play calling. From what we witnessed in this preseason, this could mean more tight end usage and more plays downfield which are two things the Panthers have been lacking tremendously over the last couple of seasons.

Sunday is a great matchup for Young to prove he has matured in his understanding of the game and can lead an offense as the Bears pass defense was ranked in the bottom tier of the entire NFL a season ago, allowing a completion rate above 65%. This could be a recipe for a major day for reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. Now, this does not mean Sunday will be a cakewalk for Dave Canales and the Panthers.

Much like Young, Bears’ quarterback Caleb Williams has consistently faced criticism for a large portion of his short time in the league, but has shown great potential. Williams racked up nearly 4,000 yards in the air a season ago and 27 touchdowns. Having a quarterback like this on the other side could be dangerous for Carolina as their biggest question mark heading into this season is their defensive pass rush.

In addition to having one of the lowest ranked pass rushes in the NFL, the Panthers will also be without linebacker Patrick Jones II who has been ruled out with a back injury. If Caleb Williams has time to sit in the pocket and let plays develop, it could be a long day for Carolina’s defense.

The Bears’ are battling the injury bug themselves and perhaps the biggest developing story for Chicago leading up to Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff is the status of star wide receiver Rome Odunze.

As of right now, Odunze is listed as questionable as he is battling a calf injury. While winning games in the NFL is a full team effort, if the Bears are without their top receiver, it could change the approach of offensive play-calling. In 12 games last season, Odunze had 44 catches for over 600 yards. There is no doubt that’s the type of impact player no one wants to be without. This is something to keep an eye on as we approach kickoff.

With the difficulty of the Panthers schedule this season Week 1 feels a little bigger than it has in previous years where there weren’t as many exceptions. By no means is the first game of the year ever a “must-win”, but repeating as division champions will be difficult if the Panthers cannot take care of business against teams projected for the middle of the pack.

Friday night marked the end of the Carolina Panthers’ preseason schedule as they held on to win a close affair with the Houston Texans by a score of 16-13. Excitement was practically non-existent until the fourth quarter. After three quarters of playing the only scoring that occurred was via field goals from both sides and the Panthers taking a 9-6 lead into the final 15 minutes.

A 14 play, 65 yard drive by the Panthers with around 9 minutes left in the game ended with a Miles Davis one yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 16-6. The Texans responded with an 11 play, 65 yard drive themselves resulting in a Zay Jones six yard reception for a touchdown. Following Houston’s extra point, the score was back to a field goal difference with Carolina ahead 16-13.

With one minute to play, Houston Quarterback Brett Rypien dropped back to pass and was taken down in the backfield by Jeremiah Moon who forced a fumble and recovered it himself. Carolina took a couple of knees to run out the clock, and came out victorious.

With starters getting the night off before heading into the regular season, the focus was more on individual performances rather than the team as a unit with some individuals looking to prove they can provide production for Head Coach Dave Canales and his staff.

Kenny Pickett had seen the majority of playing time this preseason prior to Friday, so it was veteran quarterback Kyle Trask’s turn to show off his talents. Trask went 19 of 28 in the air for 147 yards and one interception. Pickett did have limited time under center, completing 5 passes on 8 attempts and racking up 48 yards.

Perhaps the biggest performance Panthers fans should be excited about belonged to the receivers in the game. Ja’seem Reed and David Moore both had 30+ yards receiving while Feleipe Franks and AJ Dillon racked up 20+ yards themselves. It is also worth noting that seven different receivers had plays of 10+ yards, a sign that Carolina’s offense could be capable of more big plays this season.

Aside from the game-sealing strip sack and a solid performance from receivers, there was not much else to take from a game that was mostly a field goal fest.

Carolina now turns to roster decisions, with the deadline to trim to 53 players coming soon. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, Miles Davis has already been waived.

The Panthers will be tested early as they host the Chicago Bears on Sept. 13th at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has stated that starters will not play against the Houston Texans on Friday night in the teams’ final preseason matchup. Carolina comes into the last week of preseason off an impressive win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although the starters may not be taking the field, there are a lot of individuals who are trying to make a final impression to either earn a roster spot or a vital role in the Panthers vision this season.

With QB Bryce Young watching from the sidelines on Friday, Kenny Pickett and Kyle Trask will take the snaps for the Panthers. Haynes King is still battling a hamstring injury and will not be available. Pickett has seen the most time under center this preseason so do not be surprised if it is actually Trask who gets more playing time against the Texans to try and prove the depth Carolina has at the quarterback position.

The wide receivers Carolina runs out onto the field on Friday will have a lot of eyes on them. We know the ability Tetairoa McMillan possesses but the Panthers are still looking to solidify pieces around him to increase the weapons Young has to work with. Xavier Legette also has that potential but he will be sidelined with an ankle injury.

Jalen Coker and Jimmy Horn Jr. are two candidates for breakout seasons in 2026-2027 but there are other receivers who will be looking to prove they have what it takes to play on regular season Sundays. Casey Washington and John Metchie III are two players that fans should have a close eye on.

On the defensive side of the ball, everyone who takes the field is trying to make a statement. It is no secret heading into the regular season the Panthers defensive frontline has the makings of becoming their kryptonite. Anyone who can provide a spark and make plays defensively on Friday will stand out and could help Carolina shape themselves into the team they want to be.

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While the final preseason game with no starters does not sound intriguing to the average fan, there is still quite a bit at stake on Friday. Rather than focusing on the outcome of the game and looking at how the team performs collectively, this contest is serving almost as more of a tryout and the observations from the Panthers’ staff will be more personal than team oriented.

Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium. The game will be available for fans to watch on ABC.

News to Note: Carolina must cut its roster to 53 players by 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30th.

After dropping their previous preseason affair with the Buffalo Bills, the Carolina Panthers had something to prove going into Friday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite the regular season remaining a couple of weeks away, Friday night was an opportunity to prove that Carolina can learn from its mistakes and show flashes of what this team can really be. They did just that in a quite impressive 34-17 win.

Let’s start with the guys doing the dirty work up front. Carolina’s offensive line did exactly what they were supposed to do. Three different quarterbacks took snaps for the Panthers and not a single one was sacked. If Carolina can continue getting heavy protection from their O-line, that would go a long way.

With starters seeing a few more snaps than the last two preseason games, the Panthers were able to get into a little bit of rhythm offensively. Bryce Young was 5 of 6 for 49 yards and ultimately set up a one-yard touchdown run from running back Jonathan Brooks.

Brooks had five carries for 18 yards and seems to be really comfortable running the football after recovering from two ACL tears. While Brooks is anticipated to make a major impact in the backfield, the Panthers have other weapons too, and they used them. Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon both also had five carries, Miles Davis had three, Anthony Tyus III had nine and even WR Jimmy Horn Jr. had an explosive carry for 39 yards. Having so many options of how to move the ball downfield will be vital for this team going into the regular season.

Not only was the wealth shared among running backs, the quarterbacks who saw time under center for Carolina on Friday did a phenomenal job of spreading the football around. Kenny Pickett had the most time at QB and made the most of his opportunity, completing 15 of 25 for 137 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to Roc Taylor.

Thirteen different players caught passes in Duval, one state in particular stood out. Carolina’s offense has been notorious in recent years for struggling to make the big play. On Friday, we saw eight of those 13 receivers had a reception of 10 or more yards. Combine those big-play threats with the running game, and Carolina could field a lethal offense in Uptown this season.

Carolina’s offense in recent years has been notorious for not being able to make the big play. On Friday, eight of the 13 receivers who made a catch had a reception of 10+ yards. Combine big play threats with the running game, Carolina could field a lethal offense in Uptown this season.

With the understanding that the Jaguars aren’t exactly the Bills, Carolina’s defense seemed to improve from a week ago as well. They were able to force an interception and a fumble recovery and only allowed one “garbage time” touchdown with a massive lead and three minutes to play in the final quarter.

Panthers fans who were concerned after last week’s outing should be just as excited now, if not more, after seeing what this team is capable of. Preseason is just that and it doesn’t always translate to the regular season but based on Friday’s performance, it is easy to say Carolina is heading in the right direction.

The Panthers will take on the Houston Texans on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium for their final pre-season contest.

All Photos from: Carolina Panthers

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

To succeed in the NFL, a quarterback needs heavy protection up front. That is a luxury Bryce Young has not often enjoyed in his career. Carolina spent this past offseason addressing the need, and Friday night is the first real chance to see those moves on display.

The Panthers are coming off a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills, one that left them with more concerns than answers. Friday is a chance to shift momentum back in their favor.

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The line will be tested right away. Offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are both dealing with serious injuries and are expected to miss significant time, thinning the group Carolina just rebuilt and handing the new additions an immediate opportunity.

As we get one step closer to the regular season, we can likely expect some more snaps from starters including offensive lineman: Rasheed Walker, Damien Lewis, Luke Fortner, Robert Hunt and Monroe Freeling.

Photo: Andrew Stein/Carolina Panthers

While Young has received a lot of criticism his first few seasons in the league, there has always been the caveat to his poor performances that his O-line was not giving him enough time in the pocket to make the right decisions.

If the Panthers are able to move the chains efficiently against Jacksonville and get into a rhythm, coach Dave Canales can breathe a sigh of relief and start imagining what this offense could be in 2026. Having playmakers like Tetairoa McMillan is a blessing for a play-caller, but it starts up front on the line.

Photo: Andrew Stein/Carolina Panthers

On the other side of the football, the Panthers will look to pressure the quarterback and force more incompletions. Although Carolina was tasked with slowing down quarterbacks with a high football IQ in Josh Allen and Kyle Allen last week, it forced only seven incompletions in 33 pass attempts.

As far as injuries go, defensive tackle Derrick Brown and quarterback Haynes King are currently listed as questionable for Friday night’s contest.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, and fans can tune in via ESPN Unlimited. After this game, the Panthers have one more preseason contest, against the Houston Texans, before the regular season begins.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Charlotte FC visits Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday with a chance to correct one of the few things it has not solved this season: winning away from home.

The Crown enters the match after a 3-1 victory over Columbus. Brandt Bronico scored 29 seconds in and Liel Abada converted a penalty in the ninth minute. Chase Adams pulled Columbus within one before halftime, but Pep Biel restored the two-goal lead in the 73rd minute.

Charlotte still spent too much of the match defending. Columbus finished with 70% possession, 26 shots, 57 touches in Charlotte’s box and 13 corners. Columbus Crew also forced Kristijan Kahlina to make several saves.

Toronto finally won, somehow

Toronto is coming off an almost identical result. The Reds beat New England 2-1 on Saturday for their first MLS victory since April 4, even though New England had almost 71% possession, took 24 shots and won 11 corners. Toronto took three shots and did not win a corner.

Toronto will be missing Djordje Mihailovic after his red card against New England. Jonathan Osorio has a knee injury as well. Alonso Coello could join Niklas Dorsch and 18-year-old Markus Cimermancic in the midfield.

Dániel Sallói is the Toronto player Charlotte should be most worried about. He has four goals and three assists in 19 MLS appearances. Toronto will probably use Sallói and Theo Corbeanu on either side of Josh Sargent.

Matchups to watch

Bronico runs more than any other player on the field and has enough technical ability to back it up. It’s surprising he has played so few minutes this season, but the Charlotte 49ers graduate has made it count when needed. He has a lot of grit and fights for the badge, and he’s also a fan favorite.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Toronto’s replacement midfield should not get much time to settle if Bronico starts and presses from the opening whistle. His energy could also take some of the defensive work away from Ashley Westwood.

The other matchup to watch is Abada and David Schnegg against Richie Laryea. Abada said their connection was better Saturday than it had been during Leagues Cup. Laryea likes to leave right back and join the attack, so there should be room behind him.

Allan Saint-Maximin looked great, and it’s clear he’s still getting used to the artificial turf. That’s something he mentioned in the postgame press conference. But he had sparks of brilliance in the limited time that he played, and it seems like he will only get better. BMO Field has grass, so it will be interesting to see if that makes any difference Wednesday.

Nathan Byrne is the main lineup question after tweaking the hamstring that has bothered him before. Will Cleary would be the likely replacement at right back if Byrne cannot play.

It’s unclear why Smith keeps playing Biel on the right and then has to use substitutions or tactical changes to shift him more toward the middle, because that is where he plays the best. Toronto spent most of Saturday without the ball, and Charlotte will need Biel in the middle if it has to break the Reds down.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Biel has scored in three straight matches and leads Charlotte with 10 MLS goals. His recent form becomes especially important while Charlotte continues to rotate Idan Toklomati and Archie Goodwin at center forward.

The road problem

Charlotte has won four straight in this series, including a 3-1 victory in May. However, Charlotte is only 2-5-1 away from home, which is the main concern about this match.

Westwood has played way too many minutes, and while he is playing extremely well and has been very important to the squad, he tends to get tired toward the final 20 minutes. With that comes a chance of injury or fatigue after playing so much, so often.

Saturday’s rain delay made a four-day turnaround even shorter. Bronico can take some of the running away from Westwood, but Charlotte is still dependent on its captain when it has to control possession and stop Dorsch from carrying Toronto through midfield.

Opta gives Charlotte a 39.7% chance to win. Toronto is at 34.5%, with the draw at 25.8%.

Toronto enters short-handed and Charlotte has had its number. This should be a Charlotte win. The road record has to get better at some point, and Wednesday is a very good chance to start.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

Things did not go as planned for the Carolina Panthers in their second preseason contest of the summer against the Buffalo Bills. Dave Canales’ squad found themselves on the wrong end of a 29-14 score. A Carolina touchdown by John Metchie III with 20 seconds left in the game salvaged the score from being a blowout.

Bryce Young got his first snaps of live action in preparation for the 2026 season, albeit very limited playing time. Young finished his day on 3 of 5 passing and 18 yards. He did not have a touchdown or an interception, which has been his kryptonite in first quarters. Young’s short time on the field did not give any indicator that he has truly elevated his game, but neither did it show he can’t handle leading his team. As the preseason progresses, we will likely see him playing more snaps and putting his foot on the gas to prove himself as a true QB1.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers’ defense showed it has a lot of work to do. Taking on MVP-level quarterback Josh Allen is no easy task for anyone, but Allen doing the damage he did in such little time is still alarming. Allen was 6 of 8 in the air going for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers were able to sack Allen once, which is a small victory for the defense considering how poorly its pass rush is rated after all the injuries.

Even once Josh Allen departed from the game, former Panther Kyle Allen took over under center and also topped 100 passing yards. He went 14 of 16 on pass attempts for 108 yards without turning the ball over.

Carolina’s secondary is the one area on defense that is supposed to be their strong suit, but that did not look like the case on Saturday. This will have to be cleaned up once the regular season rolls around if the Panthers want to compete for another division title.

There are still positives for both the offense and defense of Carolina to take away from Saturday’s loss. For the offense, 14 different players caught passes in the preseason matchup. This may sound normal in a preseason game given so many people are getting looks at real game situations, but this also really shows the Panthers’ willingness to spread the ball around and trust everyone on the field to make plays. Young could have many weapons to work with this season.

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While the defense needs to stop the pass a little more efficiently, holding the Bills to 1 of 7 on third downs is wildly impressive. Even if Carolina is giving up some yards, if they can get stops when it matters most, all the mistakes could be forgotten. Panther fans will see if the defense can bend and not break moving forward.

Carolina’s next preseason game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m. EDT against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

NFL preseason continues for Dave Canales and company when the Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, Aug. 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET in Buffalo at the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium.

While this will be the first preseason game for the Bills, Carolina will be competing in its second preseason game following a thrilling victory against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game last week.

Saturday will give Panthers’ fans their first look at the starting unit as Canales has said starters are expected to play around 10-12 snaps depending on how drives are going. This means seeing the progression (or not) of quarterback Bryce Young who will have a lot of eyes on him this upcoming season.

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Haynes King was the QB who stole the show last week, but following a hamstring injury he will not be available on Saturday for the Panthers. Once Young is out of the game, fans can expect to see some split time between Kenny Pickett and newly signed veteran Kyle Trask.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

Much like King, starting running back Chuba Hubbard is also dealing with a hamstring injury so he will not be available. This will put the spotlight on Jonathan Brooks who has high expectations and looks to elevate the Panthers’ offense despite facing the uphill battle of multiple ACL tears.

Through the first few drives (on both sides of the ball), fans could get a look at Carolina’s true colors (so to speak), and their team identity. The offense has slowly been adding pieces and finally feels like it can be a real threat when at their best and the defense will be tested early facing one of the NFL’s best in Josh Allen. The start of this game is something Panthers fans do not want to miss.

Can the offense find a rhythm and make a statement early? Can the defense get off the field on third down against a MVP-caliber QB? Will Jonathan Brooks insert himself as a real weapon in Canales’ offense? Is Bryce Young still the answer under center for the Panthers? All of these are legitimate questions we could see starting to be answered Saturday.

Charlotte left the Atlas match with three points and a clean sheet. The first half was still a warning for Pachuca.

“I was really disappointed with the first half,” Dean Smith said. “I just thought we were so poor on the ball. I thought whenever we got it, we turned it over again. Our only meaningful move in the first half was a crossover from a throw-in where Westie put Archie in. Apart from that, we just kept shelling the ball and giving it away too cheaply. They made it difficult. They went man for man on us in midfield. I was pleased to get them in at halftime and give them a few words.”

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Atlas had a goal disallowed for offside. Tyler Miller made a one-handed save. Charlotte did not put a shot on target before the break.

Liel Abada replaced Brandt Bronico. Pep Biel moved inside. Ashley Westwood and Djibril Diani became the two deeper midfielders.

“Go and run on the outside. Go and ask some questions when you get a one-v-one, because that was going to be our outlet today,” Smith said. “When you went into midfield, you needed a one-touch pass out because of their man-to-man style. Our fullbacks were our out-balls because they had the time and space, but then they had to eat up the space and give it to our wide players one-v-one.”

Charlotte finally used it. Tyger Smalls forced a turnover and crossed for Abada in the 78th minute. Smalls added the second after goalkeeper Camilo Vargas went forward for a late corner.

Photo: Charlotte FC

The score changed. The warning did not. That hesitation cannot follow Charlotte into Tuesday. It should bother it before Pachuca.

Good result. Strange game. Pachuca is next.

Pachuca has zero points, but it took 23 shots against Cincinnati and put seven on target. Oussama Idrissi created Adrián Alcaraz’s early goal in that 3–1 loss, then scored against Columbus.

Idrissi has been involved in both Pachuca goals. He starts from the left and comes inside. Smith has rotated Nathan Byrne and Will Cleary there.

“I think since we’ve come back, both have done all right when they played there,” Smith said. “When you’re playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, fresh legs normally helps, and we’re fortunate enough to be able to do that with them two at the moment.”

Rondón will be the focus for Charlotte’s center backs. Ream was rested, and Kessler missed the squad.

“It was OK,” Smith said of the changed back line. “I mean, Prince and Morrison together. Kess couldn’t make today. He had a tight thigh that we didn’t want to risk, and I gave Tim a breather to see them again. So yeah, they were OK. As I say, didn’t give big chances away. I just felt positionally we didn’t shift quick enough at times. So that’s something, again, we can work on at the training ground.”

Ream should return. Pep will not. He was sent off after the final whistle, a serious loss because Charlotte only figured Atlas out after Smith moved him inside.

“I just felt Pep wasn’t in the game at all on the side,” Smith said. “So I wanted to get him inside and change the shape back to a 2-1 in midfield. I thought that helped us in the second half. You need your best players. We know Pep is one of them. We need him in the game and he wasn’t in the game enough. We passed the ball a little bit better, we had better angles, and I thought the subs all made a really good impact.”

Luca de la Torre is the likely replacement.

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“I thought his performance was really good when he came on,” Smith said. “I thought he handled the ball really well. He kept the ball really well, but he was productive with it as well, and he helped us calm the game down a little bit. The way he’s come back from the World Cup break has been really pleasing for us.”

Allan Saint-Maximin did not dress against Atlas.

“He’s going to need work,” Smith said. “One thing he does, he recovers really quickly. He’s a fast-twitch player. He’ll get on the ball and do bits and he’ll explode. He’s not done loads of on-field training, so he’ll feel out of puff a little bit, but then he recovers really quickly. I don’t think it’ll take loads of time to get him to full fitness.”

The schedule is part of the selection too. Smalls was asked how the players are avoiding burnout.

“I think it’s just managing our bodies. We have really good staff that make sure they take care of us and, yeah, it’s up to us to obviously look after ourselves and make sure we’re doing the right thing. So yeah, I think obviously all of us are doing that, and we’re focused on getting the best possible run we can in this cup. So yeah, it’s a lot, having a lot of games in a short amount of time, but I think we’re ready for it.”

Charlotte has six points, but only four MLS teams advance from Phase One.

“Our setup’s been the same for all the games, to be honest,” he said. “We went into the first game wanting to win it, and we made some changes from the game against Chicago. We’ve made some changes again tonight in the back four. We’ve made changes at halftime and in the second half. So we’re using the squad to try and win games, and we’ll try that again on Tuesday.”

Idrissi. Rondón. No Pep. Possibly Saint-Maximin. That is the match.

And Charlotte cannot wait until halftime to enter it.

Carolina won the first preseason matchup of the year in thrilling fashion by a score of 33-30. Panthers’ QB Haynes King scored the game-winning touchdown by stretching over the goal line as time expired. If Thursday night was any indication of how this season could go, the nickname ‘Cardiac Cats’ just might be making a comeback in Uptown.

There are still a lot of questions circulating about the Panthers’ identity as a football team and if they are truly a team the league should look out for. Winning the NFC South a season ago and giving the Los Angeles Rams a run for their money in the first round of the playoffs caught a lot of people’s attention. At the end of the day, Carolina still finished the 2025 season with a losing record.

Of course one game into the preseason, all of these questions about Carolina cannot be answered. We are not going to overreact but we can still take away three observations from the Hall of Fame Game that could be flashes of who the Panthers will be this season.

1. Quarterback Depth

There is no doubt at all who QB1 in Charlotte is. Former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young solidified that spot last season by showing up in the clutch and competing at a high level. However, depth at the quarterback position is crucial in this league and the Panthers proved they have that this season.

Not to throw shade at long-time veteran Andy Dalton, but the Red Rifle just isn’t what he once was. Adding an experienced QB like Kenny Pickett is huge for the Panthers. Pickett is still on the earlier side of his career but has seen the league enough to know what he needs to do in order to be successful. Just his presence on the roster can go a long way.

Pickett was the starting QB for Dave Canales on Thursday. His short time under center got overshadowed by Haynes King (which we will discuss next) but Pickett should not be overlooked.

He was 8 of 11 on pass attempts for 62 yards. Pickett did take a few sacks which sounds alarming in the box score but remember, this is the first game of the preseason. The protection he was getting was not quite from the first string offensive line which Carolina upgraded this offseason.

25-year-old Haynes King took over Pickett’s role and showed out. King went 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two passing touchdowns. King also displayed his ability to scramble and use his legs when it mattered most. The former Georgia Tech star went five yards into the end zone as time expired to give the Panthers the victory.

We all know we will see Bryce Young under center Week 1. The hope and the intention from Canales is that Young is there every game this season. However, if injury strikes or if change is needed at the QB position, the Panthers will likely have their answer to that issue internally. This is a great safety net that Panthers fans should be thrilled with.

2. New Offensive Attack?

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the game on Thursday for Panthers’ fans was watching the opening drive. Obviously a lot of attention in this game would be on Kenny Pickett to see if he looked like he could handle the position if needed.

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Pickett looked calm, cool and collected early. It is worth noting that Pickett targeted his tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on the first two plays of the game. Now if you break down the film, it is likely that Sanders was his second or even third read on these plays but the use of the tight end is something Carolina has practically ignored the last couple of seasons.

Even if the Tight End is not the number one option, feeling comfortable going underneath to move the chains could completely change the Panthers offense. If teams now have to worry more about guys like Sanders making catches, that is going to open up holes for the running backs but more likely open up shots down the sideline to elite receivers like Tetairoa McMillan. We very well could see Canales have a lot of fun with a more well-rounded offense this season.

3. Will Lee III strengthens secondary

It is no secret that the Panthers defense is going to be a major concern this season. Following severe injuries to important personnel like LB Nic Scourton, the pass rush has been weakened significantly. Of course Carolina will do everything they can to address this issue but it may be that the secondary needs to step up and make even more plays.

As big of an ask as that is for corners and safeties, the good news is the addition of fourth-round draft pick CB Will Lee III makes this possible. We already know about the chaos that Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson can cause but the athleticism of Lee III gives the Panthers the flexibility to move these versatile players in spots they can make a major difference in.

If there is one bright side to the Panthers defense at the moment, it is that adding Lee III provides more play-making ability. However, the secondary can only do so much. For things to play out the way Carolina wants on defense, the offense will have to keep drives alive to rest the defense, and the defense will have to get off the field on third down. Even on Thursday, the Panthers allowed a first down on 7 of the Cardinals’ 12 third-down attempts. That will have to be cleaned up before the regular season begins.