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Carolina Panthers coach John Fox said Wednesday the team's starters will play tonight in their final exhibition against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Bank of America Stadium. But they won't be in there for long.
Although several players are still fighting for jobs – final cuts will come Saturday – the product the Panthers will put on the field for the regular-season opener Sept. 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles is pretty much set.
Here are five preseason revelations as the Panthers wrap up their exhibition schedule:
1. MIKE GOODSON: AS ADVERTISED, THEN SOME
The Panthers hoped Goodson, a rookie who was a fourth-round draft pick, would be an all-purpose offensive threat. And while he hasn't broken off a big play, he has shown he has that kind of explosive potential at three positions. With DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart missing games because of injuries, Goodson leads the team in rushing during the preseason with 118 yards on 25 carries (a 4.7-yard average) and a touchdown. He has also caught six passes (tied for the team lead) for 76 yards and appears to have won the kick returner's job.
2. KENNETH MOORE: MOVING UP
Moore came into camp competing with players such as Ryne Robinson and Jason Carter, not only for the No.4 receiver spot but as a kick and punt returner. Robinson and Carter have been cut, and Moore, who played at Butler High and Wake Forest, has played so well that he appears to be pressing Dwayne Jarrett as the No.3 receiver.
Of Moore's six receptions during the preseason, the most memorable probably was against the New York Giants, when he was hammered to the turf after coming down with the ball. Moore also might have a shot to be the punt returner.
3. JONATHAN STEWART: STILL WAITING
A lingering sore Achilles has kept Stewart on the sidelines for much of the preseason. In fact, of the 48 times the Panthers have practiced during 2009 – including training camp and organized team activities in the spring – Stewart has been on the field for eight of them.
It remains unclear when Stewart, who rushed for a Panthers rookie record of 836 yards last season, will return. It certainly won't be tonight and it's looking more and more unlikely he will be ready for the Eagles.
Although Goodson has shown he could be a sufficient backup to Williams, Stewart's absence fundamentally alters the dynamics of the offense. Without him, the team doesn't have the battering-ram kind of style he provided when Williams wasn't in the game.
4. THE DEFENSE: ROCKY START
The adjustment to new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks' system has been slower than expected. Questions abound about the team's ability stop the run, and the problems are magnified since nose tackle Maake Kemoeatu ruptured his Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp and was lost for the season.
The defense sprung another leak when the secondary was picked apart by Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco last week. Tackling problems also plagued the Panthers against the Ravens. It hasn't helped that three other starters – linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis and safety Charles Godfrey – have missed time with injuries.
5. CAPTAIN MUNNERLYN: AYE, AYE
Maybe the most pleasant of preseason surprises, Munnerlyn, a rookie out of South Carolina, might have won the punt returner's job and he has been in the mix to be the nickel back on defense. The Panthers' seventh and final draft pick, Munnerlyn had a 58-yard punt return against the Miami Dolphins that would have gone for a touchdown had he not stepped out of bounds.
