What tough cuts could the Carolina Panthers make after their final preseason contest against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium?
It won't be much longer before those in power within the Carolina Panthers sit down and finalize their 53-man roster. Tonight's preseason game against the Detroit Lions is the last chance many have of staking a claim after one of the more eventful preparations in franchise history that saw landmark changes implemented across the board.
Of course, the 53 that get selected won't be the same 53 who are available in Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons. General manager Scott Fitterer and his staff are going to examine the waiver wire thoroughly to see if they can make further improvements, leaving some disappointed just a few short hours after jubilation.
This is always the toughest part of any offseason for influential figures. Some will already be well aware of their fate while others are just a few days away from having one of the most shocking conversations of their professional careers.
On this topic, here are three tough cuts the Panthers could make after their 2023 preseason finale at Bank of America Stadium.
Nash Jensen - Carolina Panthers OL
An undrafted free agent being deemed surplus to requirements wouldn't be seen as all that shocking in normal circumstances. In fact, it'll be pretty commonplace across the NFL before Tuesday's roster cutdown deadline.
Tarring Nash Jensen with the same brush is doing a disservice to how much of an impact he's made since joining the Carolina Panthers. Not many gave the offensive lineman much hope of earning a spot, but he's risen to the challenge and displayed a level of consistency that's made everyone associated with the franchise sit up and take notice.
Much will depend on whether the Panthers go with experience further down the offensive line depth chart or take a risk with someone like Jensen. If he's on the outside looking in, the North Dakota State product can count himself extremely unfortunate.
Giovanni Ricci - Carolina Panthers FB/TE
There aren't many roster predictions surrounding the Carolina Panthers that don't include Giovanni Ricci currently. He's a dependable option and versatile enough to play in two spots if needed, so the benefits of taking him through onto their initial 53 are here for all to see.
However, there is also a flip side to this coin.
Ricci is seen as something of a full-back specialist rather than someone who can impact the passing game consistently as a tight end. That is a dying breed in the NFL, so much will depend on how Frank Reich and Thomas Brown perceive his role compared to others that could perhaps help Bryce Young out more.
If the Panthers need a full-back, why not use someone like Ian Thomas or Tommy Tremble when the situation dictates? This also leaves the possibility of adding to another position group or giving Stephen Sullivan a shot, who's done well throughout the preparation period.
Whether this is something the Panthers contemplate is another matter. Ricci's proven his worth since arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2020, even if the ceiling is relatively low in terms of overall impact.
Perhaps the Panthers will play it safe and keep Ricci around. Sullivan's physical profile and noticeable improvements are the wildcards in this scenario, so it could all come down to who shines most during their time on the preseason field against the Detroit Lions later on tonight.
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.