Which Carolina Panthers players find themselves firmly on the hot seat heading into the team's training camp before the 2023 campaign?
The wait is almost over. Veterans are currently making their way down to Wofford College in Spartanburg for training camp, which reunites established figures with the rookies who've been in the facility since Friday.
This is the most important phase of preparations by a considerable margin. There's an enormous sense of positivity surrounding the Panthers after an outstanding offseason, so building further momentum in the weeks ahead and when preseason games arrive will stand Frank Reich's men in tremendous stead.
Carolina is quietly fancied to become one of the league's surprise packages next season. But for many on the roster, the next few weeks will make or break their short and potentially long-term futures with the franchise.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers players who find themselves on the hot seat heading into camp.
Brandon Smith - Carolina Panthers LB
Frank Reich and his staff have no emotional attachment whatsoever to any player drafted by the Carolina Panthers under their previous regime. Couple this with a shift in schemes on both sides of the football, it's not hard to see why some should be worrying about their respective futures.
Despite flashing when called upon as a rookie, Brandon Smith has it all to do at camp. The former fourth-round selection out of Penn State boasts every athletic intangible needed to thrive, but it doesn't appear as if defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is all that keen on the player's credentials based on his status over early workouts.
Smith's impact on special teams might ensure he gets a roster spot. But that is far from guaranteed unless the linebacker displays the right attitude and produces on the practice field at camp.
Yetur Gross-Matos - Carolina Panthers OLB
Not many thought Yetur Gross-Matos would get another chance to earn prominent reps heading into the final year of his rookie deal. The edge defender blew a huge opportunity to become a long-term starter in 2022, but the new coaching staff is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt when all hope seemed lost.
Gross-Matos has been praised for his work ethic this offseason as he transitions from a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker under Ejiro Evero. The prospect of the former second-round pick making improvements under legitimate NFL-caliber coaching for the first time cannot be dismissed and the Carolina Panthers didn't address their pass-rushing options with any urgency whatsoever throughout the spring.
All things considered. it's far more positive than most envisaged for Gross-Matos. But it's vital he repays this faith by showing out at camp and whenever reps come his way during preseason games.
Marquis Haynes Sr. impressed during early workouts and the Panthers have high hopes for third-round selection D.J. Johnson providing his transition goes smoothly. General manager Scott Fitterer is also sitting on plenty of salary-cap space if those in power feel like more is required.
What comes next is down to Gross-Matos. This is the last chance saloon - a sink or swim scenario that needs a proper response from the athletic Penn State product.
Is he capable of such progress in a relatively short space of time and transitioning to a new position? Time will tell.
C.J. Henderson - Carolina Panthers CB
It's now or never for C.J. Henderson.
Much like the situation with Yetur Gross-Matos, it's surprising to see Henderson in with a shot at potentially impacting the starting rotation next season. The Carolina Panthers didn't strengthen their cornerback options despite questions surrounding most within the room, which is a gamble that could genuinely go either way when competitive action begins.
Henderson hasn't come anywhere close to his pre-draft projections. Tabbed as the next great shutdown cornerback after a sensational college career at Florida, he was traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars after just one season and has flattered to deceive with the Panthers more often than not despite the odd good performance.
It won't have come as a great shock to Henderson when the Panthers opted to decline his fifth-year option. And yet, those in power clearly feel like their coaching can provide the spark that unlocks his true potential.
Again, there is a fine line here. Henderson has to hit the ground running at camp and prove worthy of similar responsibilities next season, which won't be easy against Carolina's revamped pass-catching unit that now features Jonathan Mingo, D.J. Chark, and Adam Thielen.
Anything less than an outstanding camp is going to cast further doubt on Henderson's credentials. Something that could force the Panthers to look elsewhere before Week 1.
Matt Corral - Carolina Panthers QB
After a heart-to-heart with head coach Frank Reich, it seems as if quarterback Matt Corral is ready to work despite his prospects looking less than promising. It's been a luckless opening to his NFL career, which looks more uncertain than ever after the Carolina Panthers signed veteran Andy Dalton in free agency and traded up to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft for Bryce Young.
Corral's already stated his intent to fight for involvement. The Panthers could take three signal-callers onto their roster given the new NFL ruling that allows an emergency quarterback to be activated if injury strikes, but a strong training camp is absolutely imperative before the Ole Miss product gets the majority of preseason reps.
The Panthers won't be putting Young in harm's way much and Dalton's seen it all before. Therefore, getting as much game time into Corral as possible is the sensible approach considering how much football he missed as a rookie.
This experience will be invaluable for Corral, especially if he builds momentum on the practice field at Wofford College. If the 2022 third-round pick performs well, then general manager Scott Fitterer might get a call or two from teams looking to fortify their own quarterback options heading into Week 1.
In an ideal world for Corral, being traded looks like the best thing for his career. But the Panthers won't be giving him away and certainly not with three years remaining on his rookie deal.