4 winners (and 3 losers) from Carolina Panthers preseason loss at Patriots
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers opted not to suit more than 30 players - most of whom will occupy integral roles in 2024 - for their preseason curtain raiser at the New England Patriots. Head coach Dave Canales believes minimizing the risk of injury to key personnel is more beneficial than getting game-day reps at this stage. That's not an opinion shared by most around the league, so it remains to be seen whether his approach pays off.
Backups and third-stringers got the opportunity to shine in the absence of most starters. It showed, with the Panthers mustering just three points and displaying a lack of continuity on offense in difficult conditions. This wasn't a big surprise, although fans will be watching progress over the next few weeks closely after seeing what a bad preseason did for Frank Reich's hopes in 2023.
Canales is confident his methods will bear fruit when the real action begins. The Panthers are working from the bottom up and will be looking for gradual improvements rather than anything too drastic. General manager Dan Morgan gained a lot of useful evaluation information regarding those on the fringes. Not all of it was good.
With this in mind, here are four winners and three losers from Carolina's preseason loss at Gillette Stadium.
Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers preseason defeat at the Patriots
Winner No. 1
Lamar Jackson - Carolina Panthers CB
Videos of cornerback Lamar Jackson getting burned for big gains were frequent over the early stages of training camp. However, there was a lot to like about the way he applied himself in a more familiar game-day environment.
Jackson was an undoubted positive from an otherwise disappointing evening for the Carolina Panthers. His coverage was assured and the former Nebraska star has the size and length Ejiro Evero looks for in his defensive backs. There are also a couple of depth spots available in the cornerback room for anyone who imposes themselves.
This was a confidence-boosting performance from Jackson. Nothing is guaranteed, but his chances of making the 53-man roster look better now than they did before Carolina's preseason opener that's for sure.