Five intriguing Panthers offseason roster battles to keep an eye on during the summer
The Panthers spent the past two months working to improve their roster. Now, the front office and coaching staff can begin to put their new (and old) pieces in place through the scope of offseason competition.
Carolina will host its annual rookie minicamp this weekend. Following that string of three light workouts with draft picks, undrafted rookies and tryout players, the Panthers will get to the heart of their offseason program with organized team activities later this month and mandatory minicamp in June. During that phase, the depth chart competitions will begin to take shape ahead of training camp in July.
Here are some intriguing roster battles to monitor throughout the offseason program and training camp:
Bryce Young vs. NFL learning curve
Following the first overall selection of Bryce Young, head coach Frank Reich emphasized that the rookie quarterback would need to “earn” the starting job. GM Scott Fitterer has since echoed that point.
And while some outsiders might view those comments as public posturing, the brain trust’s logic is sound. There is no need to rush Young into the spotlight before he’s even taken a snap of preseason action.
The Panthers signed veteran Andy Dalton to a two-year contract in free agency following their trade for the first overall pick. No matter who they selected at No. 1, that player was going to be shepherded by the coaching staff and Dalton at the position. So, placing Dalton atop of the depth chart to begin the offseason was a logical move in his role as Young’s mentor.
Dalton’s job isn’t necessarily to compete with Young for the starting job. He is essentially keeping the seat warm for Young, who will need to learn the dynamics of the position at the NFL level. Young is basically competing with his NFL learning curve — not Dalton — to earn the job of starting quarterback.
If Young were to struggle to grasp the system in training camp or have a rough preseason, the Panthers would have insurance with Dalton. While that outcome is high unlikely given Young’s football IQ and natural ability, Dalton’s presence at the top of the depth chart to begin OTAs gives the Panthers flexibility as a literal backup plan.
Terrace Marshall vs. Jonathan Mingo
The Panthers are likely to utilize 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) often under Reich and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. With Adam Thielen and DJ Chark being paid to start, the third receiver spot is seemingly up for grabs.
The Panthers used the 39th overall pick to select Ole Miss wideout Jonathan Mingo in the second round of last month’s draft. Mingo was a movable chess piece last season for the Rebels, and he could serve in a similar role in Carolina. Mingo — listed as 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds — has the size and speed to play all three receiver positions, which should help him complement Thielen and Chark regularly. The Panthers could use the three in chorus by constantly switching up their spots.
But the Panthers also have Terrace Marshall. The 2021 second-round pick flashed on occasion after becoming a midseason starter at wideout. While consistency wasn’t a strong suit, Marshall still came up with some impressive plays. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound playmaker should be given the opportunity to challenge Mingo this offseason.
Both receivers have their advantages entering the summer. Mingo was selected by the current staff, and he has positional flexibility that complements the two veteran starters at the position. Marshall has been through two NFL seasons and knows what to expect from a training camp competition. Marshall also earned praise from Reich and Thielen during voluntary minicamp.
A Marshall-Mingo battle should be fun to watch at Wofford College.
The battle to temporarily replace Austin Corbett
Reich said during draft weekend that starting right guard Austin Corbett would miss regular-season time as he recovers from offseason ACL surgery. Corbett’s recovery timeline was a factor in the Panthers pursuing an offensive lineman in the draft.
The Panthers selected N.C. State guard Chandler Zavala with the 114th overall pick during the fourth round. While Zavala played left guard for the Wolfpack, he could get the opportunity to compete for the right guard spot in training camp. There’s also a possibility that he competes with starting left guard Brady Christensen for that job as well.
Cade Mays, a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft, replaced Corbett after he suffered the knee injury against the New Orleans Saints in January. Mays earned praise from the previous staff for his versatility and athleticism. Mays — who received snaps at fullback last season — appears to be the favorite to replace Corbett at the position, as he has the upside to be an eventual starter anyway.
Mays is likely to compete with Zavala and free-agent addition Justin McCray — who might be better fit as a backup center — this offseason. That’s a solid trio to have as Corbett insurance — regardless of who wins the competition.
The competition to start opposite Brian Burns
Pro Bowl pass rusher Brian Burns needs a long-term partner on the edge. With Burns recovering from offseason ankle surgery, the rest of the depth chart will have plenty of reps to earn in the role.
The team selected Oregon pass rusher DJ Johnson in the third round last month. While Johnson, 24, is viewed as a project player, both Reich and Fitterer have alluded to the rookie playing a substantial role early in his career. Johnson fits the mold of a strong-side pass rusher who is more focused on setting the edge than getting to the quarterback. In a way, that outlook complements Burns.
However, the Panthers need to get more pressure on opposing signal-callers under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. So, the player opposite Burns needs to be able to get upfield in a hurry. Marquis Haynes — who has mostly served as a rotational pass rusher during his career — can that do that job.
In theory, the competition for the No. 2 edge job should come down to Haynes and Johnson.
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Matt Corral vs. the rest of the roster
Second-year quarterback Matt Corral is in a tough spot.
The Panthers aren’t going to let Young slip lower than No. 2 on the depth chart. Dalton was also brought in to be the long-term backup (at worst). So, Corral’s spot on the depth chart will be No. 3, barring a substantial injury at the position.
The Panthers traded up in the third round to select Corral last year. However, the coaching staff that was onboard with that move is gone. Corral also missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury after struggling during his rookie preseason.
Corral needs to prove himself to the new staff this offseason. That could mean that his competition is against everyone else fighting for a roster spot.
Some teams prefer keep only two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, so Corral needs to force the Panthers into keeping three players at the position. That’s a lot of pressure for a player who was hand-picked by another group of coaches.
In theory, Corral could be battling against the fourth running back, the sixth wide receiver, the seventh defensive lineman and the fifth safety, making the process a bit more fluid than a backup quarterback competition.
This story was originally published May 8, 2023 at 12:29 PM.
