Carolina Panthers ‘special’ in preseason win, other takeaways

Quarterbacks

Quarterback Cam Newton sat out the first game but has appeared healthy to this point. While he may need a few reps to work on communication and potentially some timing, putting him in harms way when the games don’t matter is a bit silly. As an eight-year veteran, he could not play at all and still be ready for Week 1 of the regular season.

In his absence Kyle Allen got the start and although rookie Will Grier added a touchdown pass, it was evident Allen is the front-runner at this point. Crisp, clean passes and solid decision making put him ahead of Grier but both seem to be outplaying Taylor Heinicke.

The battle for a roster position continues to be interesting as Ron Rivera and his staff have to determine if the Panthers will keep one or two backup options.