4 players the Panthers must rely on more in Week 11 vs. Ravens
By Dean Jones
Marquan McCall – Carolina Panthers DT
Matt Ioannidis confirmed the inevitable when the defensive tackle declared himself out of Sunday’s game at the Baltimore Ravens. This complicates matters in a key area of the field when one considers how much John Harbaugh loves to run the ball and the obvious skills Lamar Jackson brings to the table.
Just who the Panthers got with next to Derrick Brown in Week 11 remains to be seen. It might be a committee approach rather than relying on Ioannidis to solidify things alongside the Auburn product, which could see additional responsibilities come Marquan McCall‘s way on the road.
The former Kentucky stud deserves endless credit for emerging as an undrafted free agent and onto the defensive rotation. McCall’s not been overawed by any challenge, but this would be the sternest test of his credentials to date by a considerable margin.
McCall is a huge body that is difficult to shift off the block. A true space-eater that can free things up for the likes of Brown to have a significant impact on proceedings.
One also expects to see Bravvion Roy get reps to keep the Raves guessing. But if it was a choice between the two, then McCall deserves an extended look given his meteoric rise up the depth chart and his surprising production when in the lineup.