4 practice squad players who could be on the team by Week 4

Chris Orr – Carolina Panthers LB

Among the many flaws emanating from the Carolina Panthers from a defensive perspective against the Las Vegas Raiders was their production at the second level. They failed to cope well in coverage and were not able to prevent running back Josh Jacobs from having a big say in the overall outcome.

Losing such a legendary figure such as Luke Kuechly was always going to be felt initially. The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year was a master at identifying plays and making a difference with crucial stops when they mattered most.

It didn’t take the Raiders long to figure out that this was an area of the field which they could exploit. This enabled them to gain significant yards in the run or passing game almost at will and this is a problem that needs to be solved sooner rather than later.

If things don’t improve within this unit in the coming weeks, then it will surely come with the introduction of Chris Orr to the 53-man roster. The undrafted free-agent linebacker made a big impression at training camp and it was something of a surprise that he was not on the team to begin the season.

Orr can operate either on the outside or as an inside linebacker with equal effect. His high-energy contribution at Wisconsin saw the player perform well in coverage and create pressure in the opposition’s backfield consistently, which were two elements of the game that were sorely missing from the Panthers’ Week 1 efforts.