The 5 Carolina Panthers with the most to prove in preseason finale vs. Steelers
One more week.
Then the games finally count. Then the days of projected depth charts are over. Then the silly preseason injuries subside and the grueling 16-game gauntlet begins.
But first, one more week. With a lot of futures riding on it.
As is customary the final week of the NFL preseason, most — if not all — starters will sit. That’s the same plan for the Carolina Panthers, who almost felt the full wrath of what happens when starters do play in the preseason.
So while Thursday’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Bank of America Stadium won’t feature any of the Panthers’ more-celebrated stars, it does still matter. Coach Ron Rivera said this week there were still “a good number” of roster spots to be won, and that’s across the board position-wise.
Backup running back. A final receiver. Depth on the offensive and defensive lines. And of course, figuring out who to keep in the secondary.
Here are the five Panthers roster hopefuls with the most to prove on Thursday:
WR Terry Godwin
Godwin, a seventh-round rookie out of Georgia, came to the Panthers with limited experience in the return game, but that very well may be the reason he earns a roster spot.
He showed a natural ability to catch the ball with strong hands from his first day of rookie minicamp, and that hasn’t changed. He doesn’t have overwhelming physical stature (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), but he does have the shiftiness the Panthers want out of their pass-catchers.
That said, the reason he lands on this list isn’t because of his receiving — it’s about his impact in the return game. The Panthers still haven’t settled on a punt return specialist, but Godwin is being given every opportunity. He muffed his first attempt last week against the New England Patriots, and a second similar error would put him in jeopardy. But a solid night against the Steelers, and Godwin should be the team’s sixth receiver... if they keep that many.
RB Jordan Scarlett
Scarlett’s standing is as much about what the Panthers want out of him as it is about his competition. The teams needs a powerful back who can take some of the violent short yardage and goal-line carries away from Christian McCaffrey, and Scarlett has the size to do so (5-foot-11, 210 pounds).
Cameron Artis-Payne is a known commodity, and neither Elijah Holyfield nor Reggie Bonnafon project as that physical complement to McCaffrey. Scarlett’s improved hand placement this training camp is turning him into more of a receiving threat, too, which was the big advantage Bonnafon possessed. Fumbles or a lack of success in short yardage situations would hurt Scarlett’s odds, but with only three backs likely to make the roster, he has an opportunity to solidify the backup job.
CB Javien Elliott
Elliott’s path to the NFL is remarkable, but so is the fact that he’s still competing to start at nickel corner. Corn Elder had the inside route to the job when training camp began in late July, but Elliott’s ability to play the ball and force turnovers landed him squarely in the competition.
Since those few training camp interceptions and pass breakups, though, Elliott’s pace has slowed. He’s still competing with Elder, but definitely doesn’t have the lead he once did. Given how uncertain Carolina’s defensive backfield still is, Elliott’s performance Thursday could be the difference between a starting job and not making the roster at all.
DL Efe Obada
Carolina’s change from strictly a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-4 hybrid may have hurt Obada more than anyone else on the roster. He finally started coming into his own as a hand-in-the-dirt pass-rusher in 2018, including his breakout against the Bengals when he had both a sack and an interception. But dropping back into coverage isn’t Obada’s strong suit.
As such, the team has tried playing him some at defensive end in the 3-4 as a way to test his penetration. The results there have been a mixed bag, but Obada is clearly still valuable if the team is committed to a hybrid scheme. But in strictly a 3-4 world, Obada may be better-suited continuing his growth with another club.
K Joey Slye
The Panthers’ kicking situation is about to bubble over, and it’s fascinating to watch.
Veteran kicker Graham Gano, who drilled a 63-yard game-winner against the Giants last season, has yet to kick in the preseason. Meanwhile, supposed camp leg Joey Slye — nicknamed “swole kicker” by his teammates — has gone a perfect 6-for-6. That includes two makes of more than 50 yards.
There are clearly still NFL teams out there that could use a kicker, and while Slye has never kicked in the regular season, his preseason performance can’t be written off. But would the Panthers be better keeping him, especially if Gano isn’t fully recovered from his plant leg injury? Would the team really keep two kickers? Is there a slim chance Gano ends up the odd man out instead of Slye?
We won’t know for a few days, but if Slye finishes the preseason perfect, the Panthers’ decisions will get that much tougher.
