One can say that it's only the preseason, but the Carolina Panthers haven't exactly set the world alight over their first two warmup games.
It was another lackluster outing against the Houston Texans. Head coach Dave Canales took his starters out quickly, and the team mustered just three points. While it's a little premature to get overly worried, the lack of momentum being generated by the Panthers might have a detrimental impact when Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars rolls around.
There is a lot of hard work ahead if Carolina wants to meet raised expectations. Before then, here are three winners and two losers from the Panthers' disappointing loss at NRG Stadium.
Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' preseason loss at the Texans
Winner No. 1
Brycen Tremayne — WR
Finding room in the wide receiver unit is challenging for anyone still looking to carve out a role for themselves. However, there's a lot to like about the way Brycen Tremayne has applied himself in recent weeks.
Tremayne has been a camp standout, and he carried this positive form into a typical NFL game-day setting with three catches for 46 receiving yards. It might not he enough to make the squad, but he's provoking conversations.
Loser No. 1
Taylor Moton — OT
The veteran right tackle didn't perform well in his first offseason outing. Taylor Moton wasn't on the field for long against the Texans, but he was once again way below the usual high-caliber standards he set for himself.
Moton was blown away by edge rusher Danielle Hunter on one play. There's nothing to overly concern just yet, but it's something to monitor closely in a contract year.
Winner No. 2
Princely Umanmielen — OLB
Everyone knows how explosive Princely Umanmielen is in pass-rushing situations. The rookie out of Ole Miss showcased what he could potentially bring to the run defense in Houston.
There were some impressive flashes in this discipline from Umanmielen. Considering this was supposed to be a weakness, it cannot be seen as anything other than positive.
Loser No. 2
Jack Plummer — QB
Once Bryce Young and Andy Dalton bowed out in Houston, third-string quarterback Jack Plummer took center stage. And not for the first time, he failed to meet expectations.
Plummer threw two picks, and everything was moving too fast for him. There's one more preseason game to turn the tide, but it's starting to look like he might not even make the practice squad this time around.
Winner No. 3
Michael Reid — CB
Corey Thornton once again looked the part to cement his roster claims, but fellow rookie cornerback Michael Reid also caught the eye in coverage to strengthen his claims to join him on the team.
There wasn't anything especially flashy about Reid's showing, but he did the little things well. His status could go either way, so building on this positive performance next weekend is crucial.