Carolina Panthers: 4 players hurt most by lack of OTAs, minicamps

Carolina Panthers Player No. 4: Troy Pride Jr. (CB)

There is a lot to like about the skillset that Troy Pride Jr. brings to the table. The Carolina Panthers used their fourth-round pick to select the former Notre Dame cornerback. And he is expected to contribute right away.

The Panthers did take some heat off Pride Jr. by signing Eli Apple to a one-year, $3 million deal recently. He is a former first-rounder that has not lived up to expectations so far. But hopefully, this is a trend that ends in Carolina during what appears to be the player’s final chance of becoming a starter in the NFL.

Pride Jr. is still pretty raw and will need coaching up in order to make a real go of things from the outset at the next level. This lack of time on the field has the potential to impact his immediate ability to make a lasting impression. And this represents a problem for Carolina’s secondary.

This is an area of the field where the team struggled mightily in 2019. And they have made wholesale changes to try and put things right. Pride Jr. is one of those the Panthers will be counting on from the off. But it remains to be seen whether he is ready for a substantial role with limited time to get up to NFL speed.

Having Apple in the mix should alleviate some of this pressure. But that does not detract from the Panthers’ need for Pride Jr. to come in as a nickel corner or even on the outside from the moment competitive action gets underway.