Panthers should play these six young players more in final weeks of season
The Carolina Panthers have finally reached their bye week.
Coming off a 23-10 win against the Denver Broncos at home, the Panthers are 4-8 through 12 games. And while interim head coach Steve Wilks still has the locker room focused on winning, the greater good of the franchise’s future should still be in the back of his mind.
Through the first three months of the season, several young players have shown flashes of potential talent. With five games left on the schedule, it’s time to explore those young players’ abilities down the stretch.
Here are six young players who should see more playing time during the home stretch of the season following the bye week:
Amaré Barno
The sixth-round pick from Virginia Tech has been a rotational pass rusher for the Panthers this season. While his snaps have been few and far between, when he’s been in there, Barno has made his presence felt. He played just 22 snaps entering Sunday’s matchup against the Broncos, producing five tackles and a sack during that period. Against Denver, he was an afterthought.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound defensive end might be a “work in progress,” but he will only get better with more reps. He’s already more of a efficient pass rusher than starter Yetur Gross-Matos, who has just a 1.5 sacks through 12 starts.
Stephen Sullivan
Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo has rarely used the tight end position to create big plays. With the position mostly focused on blocking, Sullivan, a third-year pass-catcher, has rarely seen the field on offense. However, when he’s been targeted, he’s made some big plays. Sullivan has caught two passes for 46 yards this season.
Sullivan is a dynamic athlete with a 6-foot-5 and 248-pound frame. A mismatch against most defenders, he should be used more frequently as a playmaker across the middle of the field.
Raheem Blackshear
Plucked off the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad in September, Blackshear — an undrafted rookie — has weaved in and out of the backfield this season. He has been a standout on special teams as a kick returner, but has been inconsistently used on offense.
Through seven games, Blackshear has carried the ball 15 times for 41 yards and a touchdown. He’s also caught six passes for 54 yards. Those stats won’t “wow” anyone, but the numbers show promise for the rookie, who could be more involved in the rotation as a complement to starter D’Onta Foreman. If that means playing Blackshear over Chuba Hubbard, so be it.
Cade Mays
Like Barno, Mays is an intriguing sixth-round pick who simply needs reps. Mays can play all five positions on the offensive line (and fullback, as seen on Sunday), and he has settled in as the backup center and guard through the past six weeks of the season.
The Panthers have started to use an extra blocker regularly on run plays. Instead of trotting out veteran leader Cam Erving, perhaps the Panthers should try incorporating Mays more in the offensive game plan. Mays could also serve as an insurance policy if any of the starting linemen deals with even a minor injury.
Brandon Smith
Smith, a fourth-round pick, has started to see the field more due to injuries on the depth chart. An athletic freak, Smith has the ability to go from sideline to sideline on defense. With Cory Littleton nursing an ankle injury, the Panthers have every reason to push Smith onto the field.
Through 11 games, Smith has produced seven tackles. Already a standout on special teams, Smith could be a long-term starter on defense if he continues to develop. That potential should intrigue everyone in the front office and on the coaching staff.
Sam Franklin
Speaking of special teams aces, Franklin has seen his internal stock rise throughout Wilks’ interim reign. The coaching staff nominated Franklin as its special teams representative for the Pro Bowl voting, and he has started to get more involved on defense during the past two weeks.
Franklin is a hybrid player, with the speed of a safety and the size of a linebacker, so he can used in several different ways. In his third season with the franchise, the Panthers need to see if he can be more than a special teams standout. So far, so good on defense. The staff should keep this experiment going.
This story was originally published November 29, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
