Carolina Panthers training camp: 4 big questions facing the DL

Carolina Panthers Question No. 4: Will Stephen Weatherly prove his worth as a starter?

Stephen Weatherly has worked tremendously hard to rise from an unfancied seventh-round pick to earn a starting job with the Carolina Panthers. But what comes next will be vital to his aspirations moving forward.

The defensive end has been a valued contributor for the Minnesota Vikings in a rotational role behind stud duo Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. And although the organization wanted to keep him around, they were not in a position to match the two-year, $12.5 million deal given to him by the Panthers.

This represents an outstanding opportunity for Weatherly. And one he must take full advantage of from the outset.

Carolina got themselves a security blanket in the former of No. 38 overall pick Yetur Gross-Matos if things don’t go according to plan with their free-agent signing. And the former Penn State standout will be looking to substantial minutes on the field sooner rather than later.

This is something Weatherly can prevent by performing well in a more prominent role. He is a stout force against the run who also has a knack for getting into the backfield consistently. So there are plenty of reasons to be encouraged from the Panthers’ perspective.

Having Gross-Matos putting the pressure on should be the making of Weatherly. He has overcome plenty of adversity to reach this point. And he could be a tremendous asset for defensive coordinator Phil Snow to call upon.