5 Panthers players with soaring stock after preseason Week 1 win
By Dean Jones
Amare Barno – Carolina Panthers DE
It’s no secret that the Carolina Panthers are crying out for someone on the defensive line rotation to step up and make a splash. If not, then those in power have enough in the way of financial resources to bring in another option should the right opportunity come along.
Although he was deemed as a work in progress, it’s hard not to look at Amare Barno‘s performance at the Washington Commanders with anything other than encouragement. The speedy edge rusher was a constant menace during his time on the field, accumulating three tackles and plenty of pressure on the opposition’s quarterback.
This was glaring as the game went on. The Panthers were finding life difficult creating havoc with the second and third string units, so Barno’s contribution gave some indication as to what he might be able to bring with a little more refinement.
Barno does look a little undersized, which might complicate matters against top-end offensive linemen. But his explosiveness is something you cannot teach and a big reason why the Panthers picked him up on Day 3 of the draft.
The Virginia Tech product has a long way to go before earning prominent reps. However, utilizing him in specialist situations could be something Carolina is now considering right out of the gate after such a pleasing display.