5 Carolina Panthers who could be benched next after Bryce Young fiasco

Josey Jewell - Carolina Panthers LB

Watching Frankie Luvu tackle oncoming offensive players into oblivion was an undoubted highlight over the last two miserable years. He took the first get-out-of-jail-free card possible, turning down a contract extension from the Carolina Panthers to sign for the Washington Commanders in free agency.

Fear not, the Panthers had a plan. This involved bringing in someone Ejiro Evero knows well. Josey Jewell was that guy, but his production is a far cry from the dominant efforts Luvu brought to the table.

To say Jewell was physically outmatched against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 would be an understatement. He was once again sluggish to the contact point and got bulldozed on several occasions. Gaining tackles is all well and good, but it counts for nothing if they're deep into the defensive second level.

Jewell will get a little extra leeway being one of Evero's guys. But if the same poor performance levels continue to concern in the coming weeks, the Panthers have no option other than to get rookie Trevin Wallace into the mix at his expense.

Tommy Tremble - Carolina Panthers TE

Tommy Tremble is back in the lineup following a significant spell on the sidelines with a hamstring issue. The fourth-year tight end enjoyed an impressive spell earlier this offseason but missed the majority of training camp. He was the team's leading receiver in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, bringing in three receptions from four targets for a whopping 23 yards.

With Bryce Young forcibly removed from the starting job, head coach Dave Canales is expecting to see significant growth from everybody. That includes Tremble, who's fighting to prove he's a starting-caliber tight end despite minimal involvement over his first three campaigns.

The margin for error is slim for Tremble. Carolina is making a concerted effort to get rookie fourth-rounder Ja'Tavion Sanders into the mix heavily until veteran Ian Thomas comes back into the fold. Anything less than making every opportunity count is not going to be well received with pressure mounting across the board.

Tremble remains confident he can become a difference-maker for this team and earn another deal. But don't be surprised if the former Notre Dame standout is relegated to blocking duties if he cannot emerge quickly.

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