As Panthers prep for preseason tilt with Patriots, four players with a lot on the line
Over the next week, players on the Carolina Panthers roster will have two big opportunities to show that they deserve a spot on the team’s final roster.
The first comes at 7 p.m. Friday when the Panthers face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said a majority of the snaps will go to players fighting for roster spots or looking to advance on the depth chart. Carolina’s second and third teams will have a lot of chances to play under the lights in New England.
Some players, like undrafted free agent Derek Wright, 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 four players with a lot on the line Friday.
QB P.J. Walker
Quarterback P.J. Walker is in a tough situation at Panthers camp. Carolina’s quarterback room is a hornet’s nest in which he has no home. Baker Mayfield is the presumed starter. Sam Darnold is poised to become one of the most expensive backup quarterbacks in the league. And the team controls rookie Matt Corral for the next three years.
Walker will likely be traded or cut soon. Cutting Walker gives him a chance to still make another roster (though it would be unlikely). He seems likely headed for a practice squad role, though not necessarily in Carolina.
Playing well against New England will deliver fresh film to league executives and scouts to decide if Walker is worth claiming, if no one trades for him first.
S Kenny Robinson
It’s been an eventful few days for Kenny Robinson. He was kicked out of both joint practices with the Patriots for fighting.
Early in Wednesday’s practice, Pats receiver Kristian Wilkerson — also among those tossed Tuesday — was hit by Robinson during a kickoff return drill. Wilkerson remained on the turf for an extended period of time while Robinson briefly stood over him. Wilkerson was later carted off, leading to a heated exchange between both teams.
After practice, Rhule did not rule out cutting Robinson. The team said they would review the film after practice.
“Two days now of practice was affected by a guy. We’ll have to talk about it and see where we are. We should be playing football the real way, where you help a guy up, not standing over a guy,” Rhule said. “That’s not how we want to practice. We don’t stand over them and taunt them.”
The 2020 fifth-round pick and former XFL player hasn’t had the best camp.
WR Derek Wright
With wide receivers Terrace Marshall and C.J. Saunders sidelined due to injuries, more opportunities have opened up for the players behind them on the roster. Wright has been one of the beneficiaries.
Wright has had three straight practices with a touchdown. He earned first-team reps with Mayfield, DJ Moore, and Robbie Anderson during a two-minute segment at Patriots practice. He made the play of the day on Wednesday, catching a red-zone pass from Darnold after a broken play.
He’s sharp, laterally quick and gets open downfield. Wright should be a favorite to score Friday night at Gillette Stadium.
“Derek knows what he’s doing,” Rhule said. “He gets open. He catches the football. That’s the core of what you do at receiver, and he just keeps making plays.”
G Deonte Brown
It’s been a quiet camp for Deonte Brown. He is a third-team guard who has earned fewer reps than Dennis Daley, Mike Horton and rookie Cade Mays. The team also likes Sam Tecklenburg because of his versatility at both center and guard.
Brown is probably the seventh guard on the roster. He needs to stand out playing against the Patriots’ third-team defense and start making a case for why Carolina should keep him.
If he doesn’t, the former sixth-round pick may be cut soon.
