5 Carolina Panthers who cannot afford to regress in Week 2 vs. Chargers

Austin Corbett - Carolina Panthers C

All eyes were on Austin Corbett heading into Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints. The Carolina Panthers were counting on the veteran offensive lineman to cope well with his pivotal transition to the center position. It's only one game, but the early signs were extremely promising nonetheless.

Corbett did not look like a player occupying the spot for the first time in a regular-season environment. He was accomplished in pass protection and communicated well. For all the Panthers' faults, and they were in plentiful supply, the protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young lived up to their billing for the most part.

The former second-round pick out of Nevada has set a high bar for himself. Corbett was confident he could thrive with new responsibilities after taking time to adjust throughout the offseason. If the player can help Young identify blitz packages and where pressure might be coming from along the way, that'll be a huge bonus.

Coping with the Los Angeles Chargers front seven will be a tough challenge. Based on this initial outing, there's nothing to suggest Corbett isn't capable of additional improvements provided he gets a clear run of luck on the injury front.

Xavier Woods - Carolina Panthers S

Jordan Fuller's regular-season debut for the Panthers wasn't the high level some were anticipating. Carolina is lucky there boast such an assured presence alongside him in the form of Xavier Woods.

The veteran safety doesn't grab many headlines for his contribution. But upon further examination of the tape, he was among the team's best performers on an otherwise difficult afternoon. Woods is an integral part of this defense until further notice, especially considering how lackluster most other players occupying starting roles were at the New Orleans Saints.

Woods needs to keep up these standards moving forward. His ability to assist in run support when backs break through the first level will be pivotal against the Los Angeles Chargers. Providing support on the backend will also be useful considering the ability of quarterback Justin Herbert to push the football downfield when opportunities arise.

This is a big campaign for Woods, which is the last of his current deal. If he keeps up this level of consistency throughout the season, general manager Dan Morgan would be wise to keep him around. As for Fuller? The jury is still out.

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