3 Carolina Panthers players who must seize the moment in Preseason Week 2
By Dean Jones
Which Carolina Panthers must seize a big opportunity to shine in Preseason Week 2 at the New York Giants on Friday evening?
After such an impressive offseason and energetic training camp, the last thing any Carolina Panthers fan expected was a shutout loss to begin their preseason commitments. While the result doesn't matter, it was the lack of execution across the board that suggests this team is not as deep as initially perceived.
If the Panthers wanted a rude awakening, they got it. And some important figures within the organization have been keeping a close eye on practice this week ahead of Carolina's clash against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Friday evening.
The scheme will probably be generic on both sides of the football once again as Carolina attempts to give nothing away before the regular season. But that doesn't detract from the marked improvements that Frank Reich and his staff are going to demand after such a subpar outing on home soil.
However, for these three Panthers, seizing the moment and taking advantage of an outstanding opportunity in Preseason Week 2 is crucial to their 2023 roster hopes.
Nash Jensen - Carolina Panthers OL
After a shambolic showing from the offensive line against a supremely deep New York Jets defensive front, increased urgency is almost guaranteed. It was nothing short of embarrassing from start to finish - something that resulted in those that took the field feeling the wrath of coach James Campen soon after they returned to the locker room.
Frank Reich stated that he hasn't named a replacement for the injured Austin Corbett at the right guard position yet. He wants to see what two youngsters can do before making the choice, which makes this arguably the biggest weekend of Nash Jensen's career.
The undrafted free agent was spotted getting first-team reps alongside Taylor Moton on Tuesday. Others also got a shot, but this seems to suggest he'll get some prolonged work at the New York Giants after injury kept him out of Preseason Week 1.
This time of year is all about maximizing chances for players like Jensen. He made a good impression at camp, but doing it in a game-day setting could make all the difference in the pursuit of a roster spot or perhaps even a shock starting berth.