Which Carolina Panthers players can lock down a place on the 53-man roster during their Preseason Week 2 game at the New York Giants?
After a lackluster showing against the New York Jets to begin their preseason slate, Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich and his coaching staff are expecting better execution from their players at the New York Giants on Friday evening. That might be difficult with some bland schemes in place, but making the best out of a less-than-ideal situation remains the primary objective.
Reich stated that Bryce Young will start and play a similar amount. There's also a chance things open up in terms of play-calling on both sides of the football - albeit without giving much away before the regular season arrives.
Those fighting for depth chart places are running out of time to stake their claim. The Panthers are dealing with some injury issues currently, which increases the window of opportunity for some depending on how they fare over the next fortnight.
With this in mind, here are four Panthers players that can lock up roster spots at the Giants in Preseason Week 2.
Chandler Wooten - Carolina Panthers LB
Kamu Grugier-Hill seems to have locked down the primary backup role behind starting middle linebacker duo Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu after an exceptional preparation period. Although he's gone completely under the radar, Chandler Wooten is another doing a lot of nice things that won't be going unnoticed by the primary decision-makers.
Wooten suited up nine times for the Carolina Panthers last season, deployed on special teams. He wasn't trusted with defensive snaps under Steve Wilks in 2022, but that situation could change based on the player's progression this off-season.
If the former Auburn star can match his seven-tackle performance from Preseason Week 1 and display the same sideline-to-sideline athleticism, Wooten might cement his place on the 53-man roster along the way.
Nash Jensen - Carolina Panthers OL
The offensive line has been a hot topic of discussion this week. Not entirely unsurprising when one considers how disappointing the unit was overall against the New York Jets, reverting to the standards of 2021 rather than what fans saw during the previous campaign.
Only one or two emerged with any credit. Unless some under the microscope provide more assured performances at MetLife Stadium versus the New York Giants, the Carolina Panthers could be forced into drastic action.
Friday's game is an opportunity for two young upstarts looking to make their way. Frank Reich's stated that he wants to get a good look at Chandler Zavala and Nash Jensen, who couldn't take part last weekend and must make their presence felt immediately in pursuit of regular-season involvement.
Zavala's status on the 53-man roster is assured as a fourth-round selection. The future of Jensen is less certain, although the former North Dakota State star was a fast riser throughout camp and comes into the warmup game with enough momentum to potentially give a good account of himself.
This isn't the easiest assignment considering Wink Martindale's defense brings the heat in creative ways on almost every down. Jensen and the entire offensive line need their wits about them at all times, or this could be another long night that comes with huge personal ramifications attached.
Shi Smith - Carolina Panthers WR
It was once considered one of the deepest units on the Carolina Panthers. But injuries have thrown the wide receiver room into mini-disarray heading into Preseason Week 2 at the New York Giants.
The team confirmed the severity of Damiere Byrd's hamstring problem by placing him on injured/reserve. Former second-round selection Terrace Marshall Jr. is also expected to miss a few weeks with a back strain according to Sheena Quick from FOX Sports Radio 1340.
Much like many situations similar to this around the league, one person's disappointment is another's chance. Just when all hope seemed lost for Shi Smith, it looks as if the wideout is in pole position to become the prime beneficiary of Carolina's recent injury concerns - although Javon Wims might have something to say about that.
Smith looked pretty far down the pecking order heading into camp. The South Carolina product kept his head down and enjoyed a tremendous few weeks at Wofford College, which was followed by one splash play against the New York Jets on his only target that went for 20 receiving yards.
This time of year is all about momentum. Smith deserves endless credit for focusing on the task at hand rather than what could occur when the time for cuts arrives, which means another roster spot is well within reach providing there are no significant complications on Friday evening.
Amare Barno - Carolina Panthers OLB
Much like the situation with Shi Smith, things didn't look too great for Amare Barno heading into the offseason. The edge rusher flashing quality en route to two sacks as a rookie didn't seem to hold much weight with the new coaching staff, who had the former sixth-round selection buried on the unofficial depth chart despite a decent enough training camp.
And like Smith, there's been a lot to like about the way Barno's applied himself with the odds stacked against him this offseason. He's worked hard, dedicated himself to improving, and maximized every rep - something that was rewarded against the New York Jets with the Carolina Panthers' only sack on an otherwise disappointing afternoon at Bank of America Stadium.
There's a long road ahead for Barno and others are still preferred. However, if the Virginia Tech product shows out again at MetLife Stadium, it might just convince the coaching staff he's worthy of sticking around.
Barno comes into the game with plenty of confidence, but his situation remains precarious. However, with Marquis Haynes Sr. injured and Yetur Gross-Matos still struggling to generate any meaningful pressure, the second-year pro's explosiveness and quick closing speed could be of use within Ejiro Evero's creative 3-4 base scheme.
This could still go either way, but the fact Barno's given himself a fighting chance speaks volumes.