3 Carolina Panthers on the roster bubble who must impress at 2024 minicamp
By Dean Jones
The stakes are high for some within the Carolina Panthers as preparations for the 2024 campaign gather pace. Dave Canales and his staff went through a bedding-in period over organized team activities. Expect the intensity to rise considerably during their two-day mandatory minicamp next week.
This was initially supposed to be a three-day affair before the Panthers trimmed it down. While some fans questioned whether a two-win team last season deserved such a luxury, Canales knows what he's doing. Therefore, there needs to be a level of trust attached.
Having one less day to impress raises the stakes for those looking to carve out roles for themselves. Everyone is getting a fair chance in pursuit of attaining starting reps, depth positions, or even places on the practice squad. It'll be interesting to see how they cope with increased urgency in a more limited timeframe.
With this in mind, here are three Panthers players on the roster bubble who must impress at the team's mandatory minicamp in 2024.
Cade Mays - Carolina Panthers OL
The Carolina Panthers made big changes to their offensive line this offseason. Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis were acquired at great expense in free agency to become their team's starting offensive guard. Austin Corbett is transitioning to the center spot. Unless undrafted free agent Andrew Raym impresses enough, Brady Christensen will back him up.
What this means for Cade Mays' future remains to be seen. The former sixth-round selection struggled when given starting reps once again last season. Things don't look especially promising for the versatile interior presence, so it's vital he displays the right work ethic and takes on the coaching of Joe Gilbert in pursuit of involvement.
There could be a spot on the depth chart for Mays. At the same time, nothing is guaranteed. Beating out the likes of second-year-pro Chandler Zavalla will go a long way to enhancing his chances of making the 53-man roster.