The Carolina Panthers placed a significant amount of faith in Trevin Wallace this season. Those in power are expecting the linebacker to take a huge leap in Year 2 of his professional career, naming him as one of their starting options on Ejiro Evero's defensive second level to begin the campaign.
That might not be the case for much longer unless significant improvements are made.
Nothing went right for the Panthers in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They came out of the blocks incredibly slowly and were never really in the game. Carolina's offense was disjointed, and the same glaring issues that blighted Evero's defense during the previous campaign reared their ugly head once more.
Trevin Wallace must grow up quickly to cement Carolina Panthers' starting berth
Namely, the run defense. The Panthers gave up 200 yards on the ground, which was simply unacceptable. Not many covered themselves in glory, but Wallace's performance levels left a lot to be desired.
His run fits were awful. Wallace got caught ball-watching far too many times and paid a heavy price. He was often slow to react. His coverage capabilities, which became a strength during his rookie involvement in 2024, were an ongoing frustration.
Wallace's 38.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 92nd out of 100 qualifying linebackers in Week 1. His 38.3 coverage grade ranked 87th, and his 29.3 overall grade was 95th. Patience is already wearing thin among the fan base, but the coaching staff is not going to give up on the Kentucky product just yet.
That might change if Wallace displays the same flaws in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.
They have a prolific running back tandem of James Conner and Trey Benson. One provides bruising physicality in between the tackles, and the other represents an explosive change of pace. Unless Carolina meets them head-on, it'll be another long afternoon at the office.
The pressure is on Wallace. Dan Morgan placed a lot of faith in the linebacker by ignoring other needs to take him at No. 72 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. That's not been repaid as yet, so the 22-year-old has some serious growing up to do if he wants to carve out a long-term future for himself in Carolina.
Being more disciplined and in control would be a good place to start. But if the Panthers get more of the same from Wallace, that might be enough to send him into a rotational role despite the lack of legitimate options behind him on the depth chart.
High stakes, indeed.