Yes, preseason football matters. While you may be one of the many who hate these “meaningless” games, they’ll actually be an important time for the players trying desperately to make the roster to get some true playing time against opponents where they can show whether they are worthy of donning a Panthers jersey during the regular season. The NFL now allows teams to keep 90 men on their roster all the way up until September 2nd; this means that the players fighting for roster spots will get four weeks of preseason games to prove their worth. While you may be tempted to flip the game off once the starters are removed after the first series, the true value in these games lies in what the second/third/fourth string will do. I’ll let Ron Rivera do the heavy lifting:
“On the defensive side, you want to see pass rushers get around the quarterback, you want to see linebackers keep the ball in front of them, making plays. You want to see DBs being around the ball when it’s in the air. I think, again, that’s what we’re looking for. Offensively, again, we want to be able to protect the quarterback, we want to see who’s blocking, who’s gotten better as blockers. And then we want playmakers, guys that are going to make plays for us. On special teams, we want to see who’s going to step up and be one of those special teams aces, one of those guys that’s willing to go down and make plays and create field position for you. As far as returners go, it’s going to be exciting to see who’s going to be out there.”
–Head Coach Ron Rivera, when asked what he is looking for in preseason games.
Now that you’ve got an overall plan, here are the specific players that you’ll want to watch out for Wednesday night.
Safety: LJ McCray/Damian Parms
With Dean Marlowe being waived after suffering a torn hamstring, the safety position has gone from “good, not great” to perilously thin in the blink of an eye. You’ll want to watch how McCray and Parms match up against tight ends in coverage, play run defense, and adjust to zone coverage. More than likely, the Panthers will be signing a free agent safety either in the coming weeks or on September 3rd when over 1,100 free agents will hit the waiver wire on the same day. But if McCray, who is expected to take Marlowe’s spot on the roster, can show that he can compete against NFL-caliber talent, the Panthers will feel a lot better about their secondary depth. Parms, a 24 year old strong safety from Florida Atlantic University, was signed less than two weeks ago to provide depth in the secondary in case of injury, and now that injury has happened. Another blow to the safety position might be catastrophic for the Panthers, so it’s imperative that McCray and Parms get the reps that they need to show whether they’re game ready. Marlowe also played special teams so either safety can make their mark there as well.
CB: Zack Sanchez/Jeff Richards/Cole Luke/Teddy Williams
This will be Cole Luke’s first chance to play against other NFL talent outside the practice field, and while he has inched his way up the depth chart in the first two weeks of training camp, the undrafted free agent can slide back down quickly if he doesn’t play well against the Texans. Zack Sanchez, who started the 2016 season on the practice squad, must prove that he has improved from last year when he looked lost in coverage and was unable to stay with receivers throughout multiple games. He is dangerously close to not making the team, especially if Cole Luke plays well. Jeff Richards and Teddy Williams need to show they can stay on the field against NFL receivers, even if it’s simply against the third and fourth stringers, as both have been regularly getting beat in practice sessions. Teddy Williams has been valuable on special teams, so he may have an advantage over Richards.
Tackles: Matt Kalil/Daryl Williams/Taylor Moton/Amini Silatolu
Even though Kalil and Williams will only be in the game for one or two series, it will be interesting to see how they fare for even that short amount of time against two of the best defensive ends in the NFL. J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney are handfuls for even the best tackles, let alone one who is entering his first year as a full-time starter and another who is recovering from offseason hip surgery. Once the starters exit, it will be interesting to see rookie Taylor Moton get his first extended NFL action mirrored on the outside by converted guard Silatolu. Keeping Cam Newton upright will make or break the season, and all four of these players are unproven commodities. You probably already knew this, but sacks/hits/pressures tomorrow night will be harbingers of bad news later.
Christian McCaffrey
Come on. You’re watching the game specifically for McCaffrey. You don’t need me to tell you.
Wide Receivers: Everyone But The Top Four
The amount of wide receivers that are battling for the final two wide receiver spots (aside from the four taken up by Benjamin, Funchess, Shepard, and Samuel) seems to grow by the day. There was a point where it appeared the race had been narrowed to Damiere Byrd, Brenton Bersin, and Austin Duke, but then Kaelin Clay and Mose Frazier decided to start catching touchdowns by the pound in practice. Even Ron Rivera is excited about seeing the second and third team wide receivers play against real competition. As of right now, Byrd and Bersin are leading the pack due to their special teams availability, but that could change quickly with a long touchdown grab from Austin Duke or a punt return score from Kaelin Clay. Even a single mistake could doom them, so drops or poor routes could be the difference between a spot on the practice squad and a real NFL paycheck.
Linebackers: Zeek Bigger/Ben Boulware
Both of these fan favorites have a long way to go to make the team, but good play this week against the third & fourth stringers from Houston could perhaps propel them up the depth chart to some reps against the second team next week, which might be enough to keep them on the roster. Unfortunately, the linebacker group is extremely talented already, so there may not be seats at the table for these local boys made good. No matter how good their beards are.
Anyone else you’re looking forward to seeing for the first time? Let us know in the comments.
