Fans have questions heading into final cuts.
The NFL preseason has reached its conclusion. The first two exhibition contests were dreadful and laborious events for Carolina Panthers fans. However, the final act was a different story.
Bryce Young and nearly all the first-team offense, sans Austin Corbett and Damien Lewis, were on the field for the opening drive. This was a 14-play, six-minute, 48-second series that saw the unit amass 85 yards en route to a touchdown throw from the second-year quarterback to journeyman tight end Jordan Matthews.
For the crowd that wanted to see starters get some run in the preseason, it was precisely what they were looking for. The offensive line looked much improved, the schematics of the offense were current with the times and often resulted in open options for the signal caller, and the group left the game with the same health statuses that they trotted into Orchard Park, New York with.
As we approach the roster cut deadline to trim the team from 90 players to 53, we’re opening one final offseason mailbag to answer a few questions looming for Panthers Nation before the regular season kickoff. Let’s look at those inquiries…
Carolina Panthers 2024 mailbag: Offseason questions edition
Ian Thomas' leverage
What is the justification for keeping Ian Thomas on the roster? Are his blocking abilities really good enough to compensate for six years of being a complete non-entity in the passing game? – Skaxis
I can certainly understand the preference to vote Ian Thomas off Carolina Island, for the exact reason you point out about his underwhelming production in the air attack. His standing with the roster has a direct correlation to the health of Tommy Tremble’s hamstring.
Tremble has missed most of the offseason program and since being activated, is still being eased into the mix. He reportedly experienced some expected soreness in his return, but that should serve as a reminder and even a warning about the possibility of aggravating soft tissue complications.
Fourth-round rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders shone with his additional opportunities and looks poised to play a significant role as a receiver from the position. The aforementioned Matthews also has been a standout through camp and preseason action, displaying the fruits of his hard work transitioning from a wide receiver.
I like him to make the 53-man roster. But both players have deficiencies as blockers. Tremble is above average in that department. If he’s not healthy, Thomas almost must be on this squad to provide that skillset.
The offense wants to be physical at the line of scrimmage and play complementary to the ground game. Balance to the position group is imperative to that mission.
Carolina Panthers' outlook at wide receiver
Who’s the odd man out in the WR room? Outside of your main four in Mingo, XL, Johnson, and Thielen. – Luke G.
This is an extremely difficult decision. That’s not necessarily because the Carolina Panthers have such elite talent throughout everyone in that room, but it’s also not nearly bereft of talent as it has been in years past.
The core four are locked in, as Luke points out. That makes the decision twofold: how many wide receivers does the team carry and who finds themselves on the outside looking in?
The first answer I’ll give is that the team keeps six receivers. They could, in theory, keep anywhere between four and seven. The competition appears to be between Terrace Marshall Jr., David Moore, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, and Jalen Coker.
Marshall and the undrafted free-agent sensation don’t offer much from a special teams standpoint. That’s an important factor in claiming one of the final roster spots, as teams will want those players to contribute in some facet that makes the squad place worth allocating.
Also, Joe Person of The Athletic reports the fourth-year former LSU wideout is being shopped by the front office to teams who may need depth at pass catcher. Should Marshall be traded, that could clear a wider path for the former Holy Cross standout.
Smith-Marsette and Moore both bring more to the table as returners. The former had a punt return for a touchdown last season against the Chicago Bears, as you may recall. The latter has experience playing for Dave Canales and would be the third-most productive NFL receiver on the roster behind Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson.
That’s valuable for a young quarterback on its own. But the rapport between Young and Moore also looks legitimate based on offseason observations.
If I’m forced to choose, which is exactly what’s happening here in this exercise, I will lean towards Smith-Marsette and Coker both being cut. Marshall and Moore have done more with their looks this summer and have earned their chance to prove it on Sundays in Process Blue.
Carolina Panthers 2024 season prediction
In your eyes, what is the Panthers’ realistic ceiling for this upcoming season? And who is your prediction for team MVP? – Pierre
Thank you, Pierre, for the opportunity to let my hopeless optimism shine a little bit in my mailbag debut.
I put the clown makeup on in a thick layer last season, predicting a 10-win regular season for the Carolina Panthers under Frank Reich and his supposed all-star coaching staff. That didn’t work out as anyone hoped and the team is starting from the bottom up once again.
Not much did work in Carolina last year. This football team feels much different and much improved, in comparison to that club. My record prediction for the 2024 Panthers is 7-10. It’s a losing record, but it’ll represent the start of righting the ship with Dan Morgan and Dave Canales working towards an aligned vision for gradual progression.
The highest ceiling I could realistically envision is nine wins. I’ll put the floor number at five victories. It won't be anywhere near two again. Otherwise, the Panthers have a monumental problem on their hands.
As for the team MVP, it’s Bryce Young.
The former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft has as many, if not more, doubters as he does believers across the media and fan realm. I am not one of them.
The glimpse we saw, albeit against the Buffalo Bills' second-string defense in Carolina's preseason finale at Highmark Stadium, is in line with what I anticipate from the point guard pass thrower. Canales and his offensive coordinator, Brad Idzik, along with pass game coordinator Nate Carroll, have already seen their thumbprints on Young’s development with his footwork, confidence, and internal clock recalibrated.
I am expecting a significant bounce-back performance and for his supporters to have numerous opportunities to cheer for their guy. That's the key to this complicated conundrum. Young already looks like a more confident signal-caller this offseason. Hopefully, it's a trend that will continue long into the future.
