4 changes the Carolina Panthers' coaching staff must consider in Week 4
By Luke Gray
The Carolina Panthers are finally off and running in 2024. After a torrid opening two weeks of the season, Dave Canales and his men responded with a resounding road win against the Las Vegas Raiders. It galvanized the entire organization when they needed it most.
It was the insertion of Andy Dalton at the quarterback position that ignited the Panthers. After the notable struggles of Bryce Young, the veteran presence steadied the ship to become the first quarterback league-wide to record 300-plus passing yards and three or more touchdowns this season.
The Panthers will be hoping Dalton will be out for revenge in Week 4 as the 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals come to town. He was drafted by the AFC North team at No. 35 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft and the former TCU star spent nine seasons with the team, earning three Pro Bowl selections along the way.
Despite the obvious talent on the visiting team, this is a game Carolina can win. The Bengals are coming off a Monday Night Football defeat to the Washington Commanders led by rookie signal-caller Jayden Daniels. The defense is being touted as one of the league's worst and there is a level of desperation with their campaign falling into oblivion.
Even though some increased positivity is evident following Carolina's first win, there are still some changes the coaching staff could make. Without further ado, here are four alterations Canales and his team should consider in Week 4 at Bank of America Stadium.
Changes the Carolina Panthers' coaching staff must consider in Week 4
Increasing Jayden Peevy's role
When the Carolina Panthers lost Derrick Brown, what was already a weak defense was expected to plummet toward the bottom of the league. However, other players have had the opportunity to step up. One of those is Jayden Peevy.
The former undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M is in his second stint with the Panthers. The defensive lineman is currently making the most of the opportunity. He played 42 percent of the defensive snaps at the Raiders and notched his first solo sack. He also currently leads the Panthers this season with 1.5 quarterback takedowns.
With Shy Tuttle potentially missing a second straight game with a foot injury, Peevy will have the opportunity to make an impact once again. The Panthers have snaps available on the defensive line, but the nose tackle has been less than impressive since signing for Carolina.
If Peevy can continue to make an impact while Tuttle is injured, he may find himself in a much larger role as the season progresses.