3 tough cuts the Carolina Panthers could make after 2023 preseason finale

Matt Corral - Carolina Panthers QB

It's hard to be overly critical of Matt Corral considering everything the signal-caller has had to endure since joining the Carolina Panthers. The third-round pick sat back and lost meaningful reps while Matt Rhule moved forward with a needless quarterback competition between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, which denied him critical reps to assist his immediate development at last summer's training camp.

This also left Corral running for his life during preseason involvement behind third and fourth-string offensive linemen. Of course, it also came with a serious foot fracture that ruled him out for the entire campaign.

The NFL never stops. A new regime came in with a fresh plan of how to take the franchise forward - firmly making Corral an afterthought once again despite how hard the Ole Miss product worked to get back healthy.

Frank Reich gave Corral some time to shine during preseason games, but it's been a work in progress as anticipated. This all comes down to whether the Panthers take through three quarterbacks or if they stick with the more traditional two when push comes to shove.

Corral will be nervously awaiting his fate like many others. A decent performance against the Detroit Lions could help his cause, but the prospect of being cut if a suitable trade partner isn't found cannot be dismissed entirely.