Dave Canales rested the majority of players who'll make the Carolina Panthers roster in their preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, some expected to play key rotational roles were given reps as assessments before final cuts continued.
The Panthers lost, but the result wasn't all that important. However, the biggest potential concern was obvious after rookie edge rusher Princely Umanmielen was forced off the field with a shoulder complication.
Umanmielen was sore after the game, but X-rays came back negative. That's a positive development, but it remains an anxious wait for fans with an MRI scheduled before an official prognosis arrives.
Carolina Panthers rightfully erred on the side of caution with Princely Umanmielen
Canales stated it's a wait-and-see scenario where Umanmielen is concerned. The head coach didn't hesitate to sit him down as a precautionary measure, especially considering his roster spot was not in jeopardy by any stretch of the imagination. That was the right call.
"We're going to basically monitor that, tonight, monitor it tomorrow, just kind of see how it presents. Right now, still sore enough, couldn't get the strength back tonight to get him back out there. So you know this is a guy that's going to be with us, so we just wanted to be smart about that."Dave Canales via Panthers.com
Umanmielen's been as advertised since joining the Panthers. The third-round pick is explosive, dynamic, and possesses a fierce inner desire to win every battle. His pass-rushing flashes were outstanding, but his run defense — a criticized element of his game during pre-draft evaluations — was much more encouraging than anticipated.
With Nic Scourton also on the shelf right now after suffering a collapsed lung during joint practice with the Houston Texans, the Panthers could be without their Day 2 edge rushers for Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that, but this is something fans will be monitoring closely over the next fortnight.
The former Ole Miss standout was relieved more than worried when speaking to the media after the game. That encourages, but there is just no telling for sure right now.
Hopefully, it'll be good news for the first-year duo from here on. The Panthers have D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, and potentially Thomas Incoom to pick up the slack. But if Carolina wants to create more havoc in opposing backfields, they need Scourton and Umanmielen fit and firing on all cylinders.
Time is still on the Panthers' side with Umanmielen. If he's avoided muscle damage, that'll be the biggest boost imaginable.