6 Panthers players who need to impress when the pads go on at camp
By Dean Jones
Denzel Perryman – Carolina Panthers LB
It seemed from the outside looking in as if Denzel Perryman was a lock for the starting middle linebacker role following his move to the Carolina Panthers. The former second-round pick showed flashes of brilliance during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers and has the potential to become a potentially dominant player if he can stay free from injury.
Perryman has a fight on his hands to secure the starting job if the early training camp observations are any indication. The Panthers have been utilizing Jermaine Carter on the second-level interior, with Haason Reddick and Shaq Thompson operating on the outside.
It’s early days, obviously.
But that does not detract from what a big couple of weeks Perryman has ahead of him when the pads go on.
There is nothing to suggest Perryman cannot stake more than a claim. And he’ll still be a key part of the rotation even if the Panthers decide to go with Carter initially.
The Miami product has all the right aggressiveness and playmaking ability that was sorely missed within Carolina’s linebacker corps following Luke Kuechly’s retirement. So it would be a big surprise if he didn’t stand out as camp progresses.