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.
Eric Rowe - Carolina Panthers DB
There weren't many Carolina Panthers players that walked away from Saturday's game against the New York Jets with any credit. However, there was a lot to like about Eric Rowe's production from 38 percent of the team's defensive snaps.
The Panthers brought Rowe into the mix relatively early this offseason and he's gone completely under the radar compared to others. That's seemed to work in his favor, with the two-time Super Bowl champion gradually becoming a potentially key part of the secondary rotation if the same trend continues over the next fortnight.
Competition for places is fierce and there remains no margin for error with Rowe. But his production last time out should indicate the Panthers' coaching staff provide the former second-round pick out of Utah with similar involvement at the New York Giants.
Things didn't go quite according to plan for Rowe last season with the Miami Dolphins. But his ability to assist in all phases and bring a level of physicality could be of use within Ejiro Evero's dynamic 3-4 base scheme on defense.
Momentum is building around Rowe. But the important thing for the player is building on this with another commanding display at MetLife Stadium - something that would officially solidify his spot on the 53-man roster in 2023.
Chandler Zavala - Carolina Panthers OL
Chandler Zavala has been a hard evaluation since joining the Carolina Panthers as a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. This has nothing to do with talent, but he's missed a considerable portion of practices through injury over the last few weeks.
This means it's difficult to gauge what the Panthers have in the former North Carolina State standout currently. But make no mistake, head coach Frank Reich and his staff want to find out more before coming to their final conclusion about who should be the team's starting right guard until Austin Corbett returns from injury.
Cade Mays really struggled against the New York Jets. While disappointing for the second-year-pro, it opens the door for others. If Zavala comes through practices unscathed this week, he's likely going to feature heavily over those who've already proven they cannot be trusted such as Cam Erving and Michael Jordan.
This is a journey into the unknown for Zavala, who has no legitimate experience in a professional capacity to call upon. But if the rookie relaxes, knows his assignments, and doesn't become overawed by the occasion, that's all Carolina's coaching staff is probably looking for at this juncture.
Whether that'll be enough for Zavala to get the starting gig is debatable. However, a strong showing at the New York Giants will improve his chances exponentially.