The Carolina Panthers want their young players to surge into roster spots and make their presence felt during the regular season. And one team insider stunned fans by naming a stunning offseason riser as a virtual lock to make the 53-man squad in 2025.
Dave Canales and Dan Morgan quickly adopted a developmental mindset to drag the Panthers from rock bottom and back to respectability. The head coach started to see the fruits of his labor over the second half of 2024. After some impressive investments from the general manager in free agency and the draft this spring, hopes are high that Carolina can become one of the league's surprise packages if everything goes according to plan.
And the more fledgling stars that come to the fore, the better Carolina's chances will be.
Carolina Panthers insider touts undrafted star Bam Martin-Scott as 53-man roster lock
This bears more significance on defense. The Panthers made some heavy investments this offseason, but it could still go either way. Veteran linebacker Josey Jewell was released after experiencing concussion symptoms seven months after sustaining the issue, which leaves Ejiro Evero desperately short of dependable options at the defensive second level.
Joe Person from The Athletic touted Bam Martin-Scott as someone who could fill the void, albeit as a backup initially. The respected team insider highlighted another big play from the undrafted free agent at Fan Fest. He also claimed that the linebacker is quickly becoming a roster lock heading into the preseason.
"Bam Martin-Scott, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina, made a shoestring catch to intercept Jack Plummer late in FanFest. Martin-Scott seems like a lock to make the roster as a depth linebacker and special teams regular."Joe Person
This is a shocking development. Martin-Scott came into the franchise with lofty ambitions, but he remained an unknown quantity despite shining throughout his college career at South Carolina. A smooth adjustment, coupled with Jewell's release, is stacking the deck in his favor.
Martin-Scott is getting noticed, which is the first objective for undrafted free agents around the league. If the rookie can hold his own during joint practices and his preseason involvement, it's only going to strengthen his roster claims.
It's a fluid situation. The Panthers could dash Martin-Scott's aspirations quickly if a better option becomes available on the waiver wire. But for now, the trajectory is firmly pointing up for a player who could become the latest UDFA to flourish in Carolina.
Momentum is building for Martin-Scott at the best possible time. Keeping it up in the face of legitimate competition is the next challenge.