5 unsung heroes from the Carolina Panthers preseason finale
By Dean Jones
Who were the unsung heroes from an impressive preseason finale for the Carolina Panthers against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Things couldn’t have gone much better for the Carolina Panthers as they rounded off their preseason schedule with an impressive win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The AFC North outfit may not have put out many of their top playmakers for the contest, but head coach Matt Rhule was pleased with the effort displayed by his roster throughout.
There are some obvious problems remaining that need to be solved. The Panthers‘ starters on the offensive line came in for some criticism, with the organization finally putting Joey Slye out of his misery after another difficult evening.
Carolina wasted no time in trimming their roster, which now stands at 71 after six more players along with Slye were moved on ahead of Tuesday’s deadline for 53. Some big decisions remain for those in power, which are even more difficult following an eye-catching conclusion to their warmup fixtures.
With this in mind, here are five unsung heroes during the Panthers’ convincing triumph at Bank of America Stadium.
Player No. 1
Brady Christensen – Carolina Panthers OL
The word momentum is a vitally important one in the NFL. It indicates that a player is heading in the right direction and building confidence, two things that can definitely be said about Brady Christensen in recent weeks.
Christensen got the chance to turn out at left tackle – a position he starred at BYU – during the second half against the Steelers. The third-round pick thrived, providing assured blindside protection during his time on the field.
This has also raised the stakes regarding just where Carolina is going to utilize Christensen as a rookie. They’re expected to go with a veteran offensive line from the word go, but that might change pretty quickly if things don’t go according to plan.