Carolina Panthers mailbag: Christian McCaffrey, Matt Corral and more

Question No. 4

Is Terrace Marshall Jr. going to see more play time this year? – Hunter Chisnall

Thank you for your question, Hunter!

My answer is yes, 100 percent. I expect Terrace Marshall Jr. to get a lot more playing time this upcoming season.

Marshall was the No. 59th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and once a part of the all-time great LSU Tigers offense of 2019 where he racked up 13 touchdowns and 10 more the next season during the COVID-ridden 2020 campaign.

The wideout is expected to be the future Z-receiver for the Carolina Panthers offense in the coming years and maybe as soon as this season. Marshall offers great size, ball skills, a large catch radius, and the play-making ability you expect from someone occupying this role.

The flashes were there at times last season, though injuries and an inconsistent offense held back what could’ve been a promising year for the then-rookie. A good training camp and preseason could lead to a bigger snap count and more targets for Marshall in Ben McAdoo’s offense.

Question No. 5

What are the odds Matt Corral starts Week 1? – Jay Wizzle

Thank for your question, Jay! This is a question a lot of Carolina Panthers fans are curious about.

The Panthers were able to accomplish two of their biggest goals in the 2022 NFL Draft: land their left tackle of the future and their potential franchise quarterback.

General manager Scott Fitterer worked his magic and traded up with the New England Patriots in the third round to select Matt Corral, once a prospect considered for the No. 6 overall pick.

Corral is an exciting quarterback on film with his off-platform throws, out-of-structure ability, and the athleticism to make plays with his legs in the ground game. However, as I discussed in my last article, he must improve his fundamentals and create chemistry with his teammates before he has a chance at starting Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.

Here is what I will say: if Corral shows growth during training camp and the quarterback competition is close, I would say he would start Week 1. However, it seems the coaching staff is willing to take their time with the development of the former Ole Miss Rebel.

So, the odds that Corral does start Week 1 are slim, for now. Though I leave you with this, Jay: anything can happen between now and September.

Question No. 6

How long/short is Matt Rhule’s leash? Is this his last season if the team severely underperforms? – @BringCamBackPls

Three questions in one from @BringCamBackPls!

I believe Matt Rhule’s leash is pretty short. Coming off back-to-back five-win seasons and with an owner hungry for a winning culture, the leash will be quite short no matter what.

Rhule is arguably the favorite to be the first head coach to be fired this upcoming season. If the team severely underperforms, it’s a no-brainer that he would be gone.

As for what the Carolina Panthers would do next in their possible search for a new head coach, I could see them looking internally for their guy. Defensive backs coach Steve Wilks and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo are the biggest names with former head coaching experience.

A name that I love personally: Brian Flores, former Miami Dolphins head coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach.

I believe Flores overachieved in Miami and a difference in ideology between owner and coach got in the way, among other things.

Of course, things could totally change between now and January. Rhule may have a season where he and the team rebound in the biggest of ways. The NFL is quite unpredictable!