4 winners (and 3 losers) from Carolina Panthers' preseason win at the Bills
By Dean Jones
Loser No. 3
LaBryan Ray - Carolina Panthers DL
This time of year is about looking for clues as to how the coaching staff is perceiving things. The Carolina Panthers are no different, with plenty of depth chart statuses unknown until something is officially confirmed by general manager Dan Morgan in the coming days.
One tell appeared on the defensive line rotation at the Buffalo Bills in Preseason Week 3. Specifically, the battle between T.J. Smith and LaBryan Ray for a backup role behind the starting trio of Derrick Brown, A'Shawn Robinson, and Shy Tuttle.
Smith played early on but didn't get extended involvement. In contrast, Ray was on the field throughout the second half and deep into the contest. This is a sign that his place on the initial 53-man roster might not be so clear-cut.
Ray performed well on the defensive rotation when called upon last season. However, Smith's impressive offseason coupled with the continued development of Nick Thurman means his fate is hanging by a thread ahead of final cuts.
Winner No. 4
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers QB
The anticipation was palpable as Bryce Young took the field for the first time this preseason. Dave Canales erred on the side of caution over his first two warmup games, but the need to get some live-fire reps into his quarterback before Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints was glaring after a torrid rookie campaign.
It was a small sample size as expected. Young was on the field for one series, but the signs were immensely encouraging despite going up against the Buffalo Bills' second and third-stringers.
Young led the Panthers on an impressive drive., He made some outstanding throws - most notably to Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, and rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders. The former Alabama star rounded it off with a touchdown strike to Jordan Matthews.
Nobody is getting too carried away. At the same time, Young performance, pocket navigation, and freedom to improvize left most fans believing better days are ahead in 2024 and beyond.
This was a big step in the right direction for Young. What comes next is far more important.
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