The Carolina Panthers had a lot to ponder after their poor preseason loss against the Buffalo Bills. General manager Dan Morgan acknowledged that it wasn't good enough, and head coach Dave Canales was also disappointed about the lack of execution in a typical game-day setting.
This is all part of the evaluation process. The Panthers are missing some influential figures due to injury, but they just have to roll with the punches. Morgan worked hard to solidify depth this offseason, and based on this showing, there is still a significant amount of hard work ahead.
The results are not important at this stage of the summer. Carolina would still like to build momentum on that side before its NFC South title defense, and this subpar effort exposed some potential cracks that could hold them back.
It won't go unnoticed by Morgan. And nor should it.
He is a ruthless roster builder who doesn't hesitate to make the desired changes if he believes they are required. Even though there isn't much cash to spend right now, a plethora of good players will be available on the waiver wire during final cuts if those around don't meet expectations.
Clues are already emerging on that front. With this in mind, we predicted how Carolina's 53-man roster could look after the team's second preseason game.
Carolina Panthers 53-man roster prediction after preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills
Special teams (3): Ryan Fitzgerald (PK), J.J. Jansen (LS), Sam Martin (P)
The Panthers have much-needed stability in their special teams. They have some potential problems elsewhere, but this trio should be a solid asset to depend upon throughout the campaign.
Ryan Fitzgerald was a rough diamond who became a highly successful kicker last season. The undrafted rookie consistently caught the eye, and if he continues this encouraging trend throughout his second campaign in Carolina, he'll cement his status as a long-term piece of the puzzle.
Carolina also rewarded Sam Martin with a new one-year deal this offseason. The veteran punter proved there was still plenty of life in his legs after the Bills moved on. When the Panthers need to flip the field this season, he's more than capable of achieving this objective.
Of course, there is also long-snapper J.J. Jansen. He's part of the fabric as the team's longest-serving player and the franchise record holder for consecutive games played. The ultra-dependable 40-year-old is still performing at a high level, and fans will be expecting the same this time around.
Special teams can change games. The Panthers' stable options at kicker, punter, and long-snapper should keep complications to a minimum.
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