The Carolina Panthers are aiming to raise standards across the entire roster. That's the best way for head coach Dave Canales to get improvements from his squad, but it won't be good news for everyone.
It's a trial by fire for those on the fringes. Some will thrive under increased pressure. Others will fade into the proverbial wilderness and won't go through onto the initial 53-man roster when the final decisions are made.
This bears more significance on defense. Dan Morgan was aggressive in finding the improvements needed after Ejiro Evero's unit put together an abysmal campaign that will go down in the record books. Nothing else would have sufficed, but it pushes those already around lower down the pecking order.
That brings one Panthers draft pick firmly under the microscope. And make no mistake, his fortunes are hanging by a thread.
Amare Barno must find a way to stick around with Carolina Panthers by any means necessary
Carolina addressed its edge-rushing options with the urgency this unit deserved throughout Morgan's second recruitment period at the helm. Patrick Jones II came on board from the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. The Panthers traded up twice on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft for Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. D.J. Wonnum is still around, but Jadeveon Clowney didn't escape the chop, thanks in no small part to the savings attached.
That gives the Panthers a potentially dynamic foursome capable of generating pressure consistently. What happens below them on the depth chart hasn't been determined, but Amare Barno has a real fight on his hands to make the squad yet again.
It's been a bumpy road for the former sixth-round pick over his three seasons in Carolina. Barno endured some rough injury problems that stunted his development. He's also never cracked the defensive rotation much, although his work as a special teamer is far more promising when fully healthy.
That might be his saving grace, but staying injury-free throughout the summer is crucial. Barno clocked in at 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. That's elite speed for a man his size, so keeping him as a special-teams gunner represents the best chance he has of making the squad as things stand.
Much will depend on how many edge rushers Carolina takes through. It'll be more than four but maybe no more than five. That means it could be a fight between Barno and 2023 third-rounder D.J. Johnson for the final spot.
Barno should be well aware of the high stakes attached to his predicament this offseason. Staying fit is the primary goal. After that, it's doing enough to remain part of the team's plans.
Easier said than done, but the fact he's still around indicates all hope is not lost just yet.