Five Panthers with the most on the line in preseason game vs. Ravens
Over the next week, players on the Carolina Panthers roster will have two big opportunities to show that they deserve a spot on the final roster.
The first comes 7 p.m. Saturday when the Panthers host the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. The game will be broadcast on WSOC locally and the Ravens are coming into the game with an 18-game preseason winning streak.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said most of the starters will play a couple of series Saturday, but a majority of the snaps should go to players fighting for roster spots or looking to advance on the depth chart.
Some players, like fourth-round pick Chuba Hubbard, are likely to get increased opportunities due to injuries to other players. There are backup roles and spots to still be solidified before the roster has to be cut down to 53 by Aug. 31.
Here’s a look at five players with a lot on the line Saturday.
WR Shi Smith
The rookie out off South Carolina is competing for that sixth wide receiver spot. C.J. Saunders, an undrafted receiver out of Ohio State, is also in the mix, and both players are competing as returners.
Saunders had a solid stretch in camp when he was seemingly catching everything that came his way, but Smith has had a couple of impressive catches.
There are other receivers, like Omar Bayless, who have had good moments in camp, but Saunders and Smith are the two near the roster bubble that have the most potential as kick and punt returners.
Smith had a big 26-yard sideline catch in the first preseason game. Doing something similar this week would help his case.
QB Will Grier
In fairness to Grier, P.J. Walker was put in the better opportunity of the two backup quarterbacks in the first preseason game. Walker played the entire first half with mostly the second-team offense. He also helped establish the lead and had 21 passing plays to Grier’s 10. The 2019 third-round pick, on the other hand, was tasked with trying to protect the lead and did not have much of a chance to show what his abilities are in this offense.
Grier was up-and-down in training camp practices. General manager Scott Fitterer indicated this week that Grier may see some playing time with the second-team offense Saturday.
“I thought (Grier) has done some things really well in camp, but overall, I mean, we’re going to keep an eye on all quarterbacks around the league,” Fitterer said. We kind of like where we’re at right now with P.J. and Will.”
The Panthers have not committed to keeping three quarterbacks on the roster, and even if they do, the team could look elsewhere once major cuts around the league take place. Grier has to take advantage of every opportunity.
RB Spencer Brown
With running backs Rodney Smith and Reggie Bonnafon sidelined due to injuries, more opportunities have opened up for the players behind them on the roster. Brown has been one of the beneficiaries. He had nine carries for 25 yards in the first preseason game and will see the field a good amount vs. the Ravens.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound undrafted free agent out of UAB had a solid camp and is one of the players on the bubble of making the final 53. Showing off what he can do outside of just running the ball is what coaches will be watching for.
“As we say, your greatest ability is your availability. So Spencer’s out there day in and day out,” Rhule said. “We know he’s a good runner. There’s so much more to being a running back: Blitz pick-up, running the right routes and playing on special teams. Spencer is trying to develop in those areas, but you can see he’s got the fundamental gift of running the football, so I think he’s got a good future.”
LB Josh Bynes
When the Panthers took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Bynes had been with the Panthers for two practices, yet he was the middle linebacker to start the game.
The depth at linebacker is a concern, especially due to Denzel Perryman’s injury that kept him out of all but one week of camp. Bynes, 31, started all 16 games for the Cincinnati Bengals last year and could be a valuable veteran to support Jermaine Carter, who has been starting, and the rest of the inside linebackers.
Now that he’s had a couple more practices in this defense, how he and the rest of the linebackers, especially Jonathan Celestin, who was added during camp, perform could dictate how desperately the Panthers look for more help.
S Kenny Robinson
The 2020 fifth-round pick and former XFL player hasn’t had the best camp, but came away from the first preseason game with the team’s only interception and made an impact on special teams. He also had a pick in Thursday’s final joint practice with the Ravens.
“I wouldn’t say (Robinson’s) had a great camp, but he’s one of those guys who the ball just has a way of finding him or he finds the ball,” Rhule said. “It’s one of the reasons why we drafted him out of the XFL, because he had so many interceptions.”
Robinson was the only draft pick last year that was initially placed on the practice squad and did not make the 53-man roster. He is fighting to hold onto a roster spot and will have some help, thanks to the lack of depth at free safety.
This story was originally published August 21, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
