5 Carolina Panthers players who could be benched after Week 5 disaster

LaBryan Ray - Carolina Panthers DL

The Carolina Panthers are missing the presence of Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown considerably. That's to be expected considering he emerged into the team's best overall player last season. Ejiro Evero must roll with the punches and attempt to find solutions to fill the void.

LaBryan Ray got the opportunity to showcase his ability in Week 5. The Panthers made Jayden Peevy a healthy scratch for the contest, which was surprising following his flashes in recent weeks. Despite playing 69 percent of the team's defensive snaps, he logged just one tackle and looked overmatched throughout.

Ray is not an NFL starter. He's a capable understudy as proven last season, but nothing more than that. He's logged 11 tackles and one sack through four games - three of which he's started - en route to a dismal 47.2 grade from Pro Football Focus as a result of his efforts.

The Panthers don't have many options to replace Ray, which is a sorry state of affairs and a damning indictment of this organization's roster construction in recent years. Unless the lineman steps things up, opposing rushing attacks will continue to target him as a weak link without a genuine space hogger at the nose tackle spot.

Ja'Tavion Sanders - Carolina Panthers TE

The Panthers are set to welcome back Ian Thomas following a spell out through injury. While the veteran tight end has obvious limitations, Dave Canales got him involved in the passing attack throughout early workouts before a calf issue sidelined him at training camp.

Thomas coming back could mean reduced responsibilities for Ja'Tavion Sanders, although that will likely depend on how long it takes Tommy Tremble to emerge from the NFL's concussion protocol following a brutal hit against the Chicago Bears. The No. 101 selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is struggling to make an impression, but it's also worth remembering he's still learning his craft.

This was always going to be a development season for Sanders. There is some significant refinement needed before he can be trusted with larger responsibilities. His two drops and a costly penalty at the Bears were proof positive of that fact.

Giving Sanders a little breather at the expense of Thomas - providing Tremble checks out medically in the coming days - wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. This is all part of the learning process for the player, who still has a bright future if the Panthers manage his progress correctly.