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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — I’m dating myself here, but I remember covering an August game at the Georgia Dome in the Falcons’ pre-Michael Vick days and writing a column about how the NFL preseason was a rip-off and disservice to fans. And that was when starters would often play into the third quarter.
Everything and nothing has changed over the past 25 years.
Two-a-days practices have given way to one-a-days, with mandated off days throughout training camp and restrictions on how many full-padded sessions teams can hold. The preseason schedule has shrunk from four games to three (soon to be two with an 18-game regular-season schedule). Many teams now value joint practices more than the exhibitions, with starters lucky to get in for a couple of series in one or two preseason games, if at all.
The whole thing still reeks of a money grab. Season-ticket holders are forced to pay full price for the privilege of watching journeymen who won’t be on the team in two weeks play in vanilla schemes for coaches who want to save their best stuff for the regular season.
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The Carolina Panthers distributed 71,205 tickets for last weekend’s 15-12 exhibition loss to the New York Jets. The 25,000 or 30,000 hearty souls who showed up saw quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Bryce Young in street clothes and were subjected to a game that featured six fields goals and a combined 161 passing yards between the teams.
To quote Hank Williams Jr.: Are you ready for some (real) football?
That would be a resounding yes, but the Panthers still have more than two weeks before their Sept. 6 opener at New Orleans. As we count down the days to Dave Canales’ debut at the Caesars Superdome, The Athletic examines five questions facing the Panthers.
1. So about the preseason games: Are the Panthers’ starters finally going to play in one?
Canales said this week he’s open to getting the first-teamers work in Saturday’s preseason finale at Buffalo, depending on the health and strength of the various position groups. Among the considerations: Does the offense have enough healthy offensive linemen and tight ends to get second-year quarterback Bryce Young through it unscathed?
With left guard Damien Lewis back from a shoulder injury and an absence for personal reasons, the starting O-line is at full strength. And while veteran tight end Ian Thomas remains sidelined, Tommy Tremble is practicing after missing most of camp with a hamstring injury.
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My sense is Young and the other starters will play a series or two against the Bills, then call it a day. More than anything related to offensive chemistry or timing, Canales has said he’d like to have his regulars go through a game-day routine before taking the field in New Orleans. Whether that’s worth the risk of injury is debatable.
But Canales is smart enough to call plays that minimize the possibility of big hits on Young. Think handoffs and quick-hitting passes. For what it’s worth, the Bills aren’t playing their starters Saturday. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Young, Xavier Legette and company make a cameo.
2. Speaking of Young, how has he looked this summer?
Canales and his staff put a lot of importance on the Jets’ practice, in part because it represented the most game-speed-like work (50 to 60 snaps in some cases) the starters would receive this summer. Against a Jets’ defense that ranked second against the pass in 2023, Young threw several touchdowns without an interception during team periods. It was an impressive performance — particularly his work in the red zone, where he showed off a better touch on fade balls.
There have been other days where Young hasn’t been as sharp or made poor decisions on off-platform plays, resulting in an interception. Derrick Brown and Shy Tuttle have batted down (and often up) several of Young’s passes. Young had a good practice Wednesday — the second in as many days in pads. He started off team drills by stepping up in the pocket and delivering a strike to Diontae Johnson on a deep crosser and later hit David Moore for a touchdown on a seam or skinny post.
What will any of this mean once the games start? It’s hard to say with any certainty. But Canales’ track record of success with quarterbacks and some of the wrinkles he’s put in for Young can’t be ignored — neither can the improved personnel along the line and at receiver. Teammates say Young is more confident in his second preseason, and that’s shown up on the practice field.
Another one for Trevin pic.twitter.com/N7FMjok8eU
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 20, 2024
3. Any surprises — good or bad — among the rookies?
Have to say, I did not expect to be tweeting more about Trevin Wallace’s splash plays than those from first-round pick Legette. But Wallace has been a shot in the arm for an Ejiro Evero defense that is desperate for more playmakers, especially those who can take the ball away. Enter Wallace. The third-round linebacker from Kentucky has shown a nose for the ball and grabbed everyone’s attention with an interception of Rodgers during last week’s practice. Wallace followed that by picking off another veteran QB on Tuesday — this time Andy Dalton.
Canales called the 6-1, 244-pound Wallace a natural football player who’s still learning Evero’s scheme, but one who has all the traits. “When he’s comfortable, he’s big and he’s fast and he’s got great hands. That’s such a rare combination at the inside linebacker spot,” said Canales, who put starting LBs Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell in the same category.
As for Legette, the physically imposing receiver still looks to be feeling his way and trying to get on the same page as Young after missing time with a foot injury. Perhaps they took a step in that direction Wednesday, when Young found a wide-open Legette for a TD against what looked to be broken coverage.
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4. What are some of the toughest cuts Canales and Dan Morgan will make?
It will be interesting to see how the new kickoff rule impacts the decision on returner. Do they keep Raheem Blackshear and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, or just go with one of them and have Legette and others available in a pinch? Canales said after Saturday’s exhibition against the Jets he’d like to see Smith-Marsette get more deep-ball opportunities. On cue, he beat second-year safety Jammie Robinson with a double move during one-on-ones Tuesday and caught a perfectly thrown pass by Young. Smith-Marsette is battling with Terrace Marshall (more on him in a bit) and Moore for the final one or two WR spots.
Dave Canales said he was hoping to see more deep-ball opportunities for Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Like this one from Bryce Young: pic.twitter.com/zR7yCv4h2D
— Joe Person (@josephperson) August 20, 2024
Even with Sam Franklin out with a broken foot, the safety spot is deep. Evero said recently the Panthers have three starting-caliber safeties in Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott. But backups Alex Cook and Demani Richardson have come up big this summer, while Robinson — despite a small-ish frame — is a willing hitter. A good player (or two) will find themselves on the wrong side of the cut line next week.
5. Who are a few under-the-radar guys who have caught coaches’ eyes?
Running back Mike Boone runs hard and has put himself in the conversation for the final running back spot. Defensive lineman T.J. Smith has consistently created interior pressure. And while you can’t categorize a second-round pick as under the radar, Marshall has impressed after being left for dead (and requesting a trade) in 2023.
“Every day there’s a big play, Terrace Marshall’s a part of it,” Canales said. “Screaming across the field, vertical outside. Just different ways that he’s really shown us the ability and really the growth that he’s had over the last couple years.”
(Photo of Bryce Young:Jim Dedmon / USA Today)
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Courtesy : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5715045/2024/08/22/carolina-panthers-questions-bryce-young/