Chandler Zavala has been given countless chances to carve out a role for himself. The Carolina Panthers were patient, giving him the benefit of the doubt. But at some point, this patience will wear thin.
That moment has arrived.
Even after Zavala's disastrous preseason outing against the Buffalo Bills, head coach Dave Canales is not willing to give up on the interior offensive lineman just yet. And the Panthers are making one last bid to salvage something from the 2023 fourth-round selection.
Chandler Zavala's reps at center hint that his Carolina Panthers end might be near
According to those in attendance during Carolina's joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the former North Carolina State standout was spotted taking snaps at the center position. This is a new development, but the Panthers clearly feel like he might have something to offer as the anchor.
Just as he did earlier this week, it’s looking like #Panthers interior offensive lineman Chandler Zavala will be getting some second-team center reps.
— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) August 19, 2026
Pictured (R-L): Luke Fortner, Zavala, Sam Hecht pic.twitter.com/0ltZq8gqKA
Luke Fortner is the stopgap starter. Fifth-round rookie Sam Hecht and Nick Samac are vying for depth roles. Just where Zavala fits into this equation is anyone's guess, but the experiment hints at desperation.
Zavala is not working out at guard. The Panthers may want to exhaust all avenues before finally giving up. But either way, things are not looking especially promising despite the lack of interior depth behind Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
It's a sad story.
The Panthers gave Zavala responsibilities he wasn't ready for as a rookie. They threw him into the fire when he was technically flawed and looked like a deer in the headlights. Couple this with the constant stream of injury problems, and he was fighting a losing battle from pretty early on.
Was Zavala dealt a bad hand? Probably, but the NFL is a business at the end of the day.
General manager Dan Morgan and Canales are patient with the club's draft picks. Zavala may not have been their choice, but they've tried desperately to make a go of things all the same.
Sometimes, things just don't work out.
Zavala might get a reprieve with a strong end to the preseason. As previously mentioned, the backup options aren't great, but the fact that he isn't standing out among them is deeply concerning.
And even if he makes the team initially, that may not be the case for much longer if Morgan sees a player or two that could provide an upgrade on the waiver wire after final cuts.
It's not how Zavala or the Panthers envisaged his career going. In fairness to Canales, he has tried to make it work. But unless there is a miraculous turnaround, the writing is firmly on the wall.
And if Zavala's reps at center don't go well, his departure will happen sooner rather than later.
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