Which Carolina Panthers players are entering the last chance saloon during their upcoming preseason finale against the Detroit Lions?
After another disappointing preseason loss, overreactions and pessimism are beginning to descend once again across some sections of the long-suffering Carolina Panthers fanbase. It's easy to get carried away one way or another at this time of year, but things are going to look far different once Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons rolls around.
First of all, there will be actual offensive and defensive schemes in place specific to the opposition. That's been sorely lacking throughout warmup contests, which is by design as head coach Frank Reich keeps everything close to his chest before the regular season.
It looks as if most roster positions are filled. Some questions remain before final cuts, with the Panthers also likely to acquire some potential difference-makers off the waiver wire that weren't quite good enough to make the grade elsewhere for whatever reason.
That raises the stakes further for those on the bubble. With this in mind, here are four Panthers players entering the last chance saloon during their preseason finale against the Detroit Lions.
Rejzohn Wright - Carolina Panthers CB
There was some real intrigue associated with Rejzohn Wright coming on board as an undrafted free agent. The Carolina Panthers were in desperate need of some cornerback depth and after dismissing any potential targets early in free agency, opportunity knocked for a player with high athletic upside.
Wright was unable to make an immediate impression due to injury. This meant he was playing catchup compared to the rest and it's been difficult for the former Oregon State star ever since.
The arrival of Troy Hill only pushes Wright further down the pecking order. Anything less than making a considerable impact against the Detroit Lions comes with grave consequences attached.
Brandon Smith - Carolina Panthers LB
It seems as if Brandon Smith is rapidly becoming the forgotten man on Ejiro Evero's defense. The second-year player is buried down the depth chart currently, with the likes of Deion Jones and Kamu Grugier-Hill accumulating reps that were expected to go the former Penn State stud's way after flashing as a rookie.
Smith remains an athletically gifted individual. Something is clearly missing, so it'll be interesting to see what the Carolina Panthers do with a player that could be of use elsewhere.
It's one of many tricky situations upcoming for the Panthers before their squad gets finalized before Week 1. Smith will get one more shot to prove his worth either on the defensive rotation or special teams - whether he can do enough is another matter.
Much will depend on how many linebackers the Panthers take through and whether Evero trusts Smith enough to make a contribution on the defensive rotation in the event injury strikes. However, a strong performance against the Detroit Lions would give him some good tape for other teams to look at if the 2022 fourth-round selection doesn't make the cut.
Looking at the grand scheme of things, it doesn't look especially promising for Smith. Nobody envisaged he'd be on the cusp of being cut given how he performed when called upon under Steve Wilks, but this is a brand new coaching staff with their own ideas and no emotional attachment to the player whatsoever.
Gary Jennings - Carolina Panthers WR
There's been a lot to like about the way Gary Jennings has applied himself since joining the Carolina Panthers this offseason. However, the wide receiver room is stacked and the numbers game alone dictates that his roster hopes are hanging in the balance.
One could make a strong case for five positions being filled right now. The emergence of Shi Smith means he's also in a strong position to secure a place on the 53, which leaves perhaps one more slot available if the Panthers allocate seven to their pass-catchers.
Jennings could force the issue with a strong preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. It certainly looks like he belongs, giving a tremendous account of himself throughout camp and also making the most of warmup targets when they arrive.
As previously stated, this is a crowded room. The Panthers made a number of key additions after including D.J. Moore in the trade package that secured Bryce Young at No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, which means it might be a committee approach rather than a true alpha at the position unless someone far exceeds expectations.
What that means for someone like Jennings is undetermined. But this is a precarious situation for a player that hasn't touched a regular season NFL field since 2019 with the Miami Dolphins.
Matt Corral - Carolina Panthers QB
This is arguably the biggest remaining conundrum facing the Carolina Panthers. Do they keep quarterback Matt Corral around as a development project behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton or allow the 2022 third-round pick to take his chances elsewhere?
It's been a rough ride for Corral through injury and rep mismanagement under the previous regime. He's gotten a lot of work during the preseason with mixed results, so it might come down to whether or not the one-time Ole Miss star can demonstrate the necessary growth during Carolina's final warmup contest versus the Detroit Lions.
Frank Reich stated that Young and the starters will play, but it won't be for long. Corral will then step in for his final audition and the pressure is on to show out in front of a nationally-televised audience once again.
This could go either way, in all honesty. When asked about the quarterback situation, assistant general manager Dan Morgan said via Sports Illustrated that the decision will be above his pay grade when push comes to shove.
"In terms of playing time, that's up to Coach Reich. Again, it's competition and whoever is out there playing, we're going to evaluate and if we decide to keep a third quarterback that's going to be the decision for Scott [Fitterer] and Coach Reich."Dan Morgan via Spprts Illustrated
Corral has some talent, but there is a lot of work ahead. The question is whether Carolina has enough space to accommodate him when the time to decide his fate arrives.