The wait is over, the NFL is back! On Thursday night, the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals squared off in a very special Hall of Fame Game that honored the newest class of Hall of Fame inductees. Among the Hall of Fame inductees was Panthers legend linebacker Luke Kuechly.
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.
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.
