Panthers' overlooked pass-rushers are about to get their defining chance

The Carolina Panthers took a hit on day one of training camp when they lost edge rusher Nic Scourton to a torn ACL, ending his season before it began.

Now, those looking to fill the void are gearing up for their first major audition in Carolina's preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

It's become clear that while losing Scourton is still a tough blow, the Panthers' defense has the depth to handle it.

Carolina Panthers' edge depth must shine in their first big preseason audition

General manager Dan Morgan signed edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to give his defense a true one-on-one winner. With Patrick Jones II returning from a back injury and the excitement around Princely Umanmielen entering his second season, Carolina seems to have the talent to offset Scourton's absence.

As all-time great Luke Kuechly is honored at the Pro Football Hall of Fame game on Thursday night, the Panthers' pass rush depth will see live action. Many starters won't play. That means fans will get a first look, outside of Fan Fest, at the reserve options and the usual special teams suspects at outside linebacker.

Players such as Trevis Gipson, Thomas Incoom, Nick Hampton, and Cam Gill will get their time in the limelight on primetime. That's the most exciting part for me: getting to see these players up close to see what type of impact they could bring as depth pieces, especially with the Panthers' recent bad luck on the injury front.

Gipson and Incoom are returning players, and both were impact special teamers on all four core units.

Carolina Panthers may have enough to cope without Nic Scourton if depth stars excel

Incoom is one of the best special teams players on the roster, and Scourton's injury provides a runway for him to earn a 53-man roster spot. Gipson has seemingly locked in a spot as the team's fourth edge rusher, with his speed and cornering ability flashing at times last fall.

Hampton will be well-liked for his special teams abilities and could challenge Incoom, but his pass rush could be enticing to see this preseason as the former Appalachian State standout looks to make his mark for the nearby NFL franchise.

Then, there's Gill, the reigning UFL Defensive Player of the Year with a record 10 sacks for the Louisville Kings. He starts his second tenure with Carolina as someone who could rise through the depth chart with a great camp and preseason display, having been one of the standouts from Fan Fest.

Across the board, I want to see if all four players can be valuable on special teams. They need to showcase some impact abilities on that unit or defense, especially against the run, where you could stand out the most by creating extension at the point of attack, anchoring, holding the point of attack, or penetrating the C- or D-gaps.

This will be one of the groups I will watch closely on Thursday night. There may not be an All-Pro out of this bunch, but a player like Gill or Hampton could make their regular-season case by starting the preseason on a high note.

Let's see if they are up to the challenge.

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