Preseason results mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. However, there was dissatisfaction with the Carolina Panthers' execution and overall effort during their warm-up loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
General manager Dan Morgan expects things to be better against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he will be watching developments closely. Head coach Dave Canales wants his starters to earn the right for more reps, because what he saw against the Bills was unacceptable.
The stakes have been raised, and the subpar standards they got away with under previous regimes will no longer be tolerated as the Panthers look to take the next step.
This is an ongoing assessment. We are now a couple of weeks away from final cuts. Those looking to secure important roles or places on the 53-man roster are running out of time to make their case. But even though it was largely disappointing versus Buffalo, there were some shining lights who improved their chances.
That wasn't the case for everybody. With this in mind, here are three players who cemented roster spots against the Bills, and two who are now on shaky ground.
Carolina Panthers players who booked roster spots in preseason Week 1 and 2 on shaky ground
Booked: Ja'seem Reed, WR
It's been hard to ignore the momentum building around wide receiver Ja'seem Reed this summer. The Panthers have an opening for someone to step up after the season-ending injury to third-round rookie Chris Brazzell II, and the former college standout at San Diego is clearly making the strongest case.
Reed looked sharp during his involvement versus the Bills. He managed to secure another touchdown grab, and he's got the size and length Canales typically looks for in his pass-catchers. Though he is now dealing with a calf injury, he should make the team if it isn't too serious.
Shaky: Chandler Zavala, OL
Even though the Panthers' interior offensive line depth has come under scrutiny, Chandler Zavala's place on the squad is in jeopardy. Morgan does not give up on his young players easily, but it's starting to look like the 2023 fourth-round selection is a lost cause.
Zavala was shaky and exposed, floundering against the Bills. The North Carolina State product remains technically flawed and looked lost on the field. It's a worrying sign, and if the same trend continues, Morgan will be forced to seek outside assistance.
Booked: A.J. Dillon, RB
While A.J. Dillon didn't get any touches coming out of the backfield, the veteran running back provided a positive glimpse of two other areas where he could make an impact. Given the injury concern with Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks coming back from two torn ACLs, his name should be on the team.
Dillon displayed his pass-catching prowess in Buffalo, bringing in both his targets for 29 receiving yards. He also demonstrated some encouraging flashes in pass protection, which is only going to serve him well over the next fortnight.
Shaky: Ja'Tyre Carter, OL
As mentioned previously, it was not a good afternoon to be an interior offensive lineman. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis didn't suit up, and their presence was sorely missed. If either is forced to miss time during the regular season, the Panthers will have a big problem on their hands.
Ja'Tyre Carter wasn't immune to the poor production that enveloped this unit almost from start to finish. He's got some useful athletic traits, but there is a long way to go if the 2022 seventh-round pick wants to justify a place on the squad this season.
Booked: Aaron Hall, DL
The Panthers needed someone lower down the defensive line depth chart to step up after Tershawn Wharton's neck injury and LaBryan Ray's retirement. That guy is Aaron Hall.
The undrafted free agent rookie out of Duke continues to catch the eye, working as a 3-4 defensive end in Ejiro Evero's system. He's got good strength, violent hands, and some useful burst that allows him to get into the backfield consistently.
Whether he can do this against starting NFL offensive linemen remains to be seen, but Hall looks more than capable of becoming a valuable depth piece right out of the gate.
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