4 Carolina Panthers who could be affected most by no preseason

Carolina Panthers Player No. 2: Jordan Mack (LB)

One of the more intriguing pickups by the Carolina Panthers during the undrafted free agency period was Jordan Mack. The athletic linebacker has an eye-catching skill set coming into the league. And he had the potential to really stand out during preseason games.

Sadly for the player, this will now not be the case. Mack’s situation is similar to what every undrafted free agent is going to experience in the coming weeks. And it remains to be seen just how many of them are going to make a 53-man roster.

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Mack’s inability to participate in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine due to injury played a leading role in the player not hearing his name called. But he has four seasons of solid college production at West Virginia under his belt, three of which came at linebacker after making a smooth transition from a defensive back following the 2016 season.

This was a shrewd move by the player and the coaching staff in no uncertain terms. Mack ended his college career with 289 combined tackles, 122 solo tackles, 14.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 24.5 tackles for loss. But not having the chance to show his capabilities in the preseason at the next level is going to be devastating.

The Panthers’ depth at linebacker appears slim following the shock retirement of Luke Kuechly. Carolina brought in Tahir Whitehead to plug the gap in the short-term. But there is an opening behind that Mack might be able to take advantage of if the rookie can make his presence felt during camp.