5 big storylines to watch during Carolina Panthers vs. NY Jets in Week 1

What are the big storylines to keep a close eye on when the Carolina Panthers take on the New York Jets at Bank of America Stadium in Week 1?

An immense amount of intrigue surrounds the Carolina Panthers as they get set to take on the New York Jets in Week 1. All the hard work done by Matt Rhule and his roster needs to come together quickly when competitive action begins in pursuit of progress, with some winnable games over the first six weeks that could result in positive momentum generated if they hit the ground running.

Whether the Panthers are capable of this is another matter. The depth chart appears to have more balance to it in terms of youth and experience than at any stage during the previous campaign, but some problem positional groups could end up damaging the team’s chances if they cannot alleviate preseason concerns.

This is a fascinating matchup to open things. The Jets have undergone a significant makeover throughout the preparation period as new head coach Robert Saleh looks to drag the organization out of the wilderness and back into relevance at the earliest possible opportunity.

With this in mind, here are five big storylines to watch when the Panthers take on the Jets in Week 1.

Big Storyline No. 1

Baptism of fire for Zach Wilson?

The Jets gave up on Sam Darnold this offseason in favor of Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall selection out of BYU who comes with a ton of talent even if the competition he faced in college wasn’t exactly stellar.

He could be set for a baptism of fire against the Carolina Panthers and their outstanding defensive front. The likes of Brian Burns, Derrick Brown, and Yetur Gross-Matos will aim to cause severe disruption during the rookie’s competitive debut, with the presence of Haason Reddick flying off the edge something else Wilson needs to worry about.

Wilson has flashed brilliance during his time on the field in warmup games. But this will be a completely different ball game.