5 Carolina Panthers draft picks who could be gone after 2024 preseason finale
By Dean Jones
Jammie Robinson - Carolina Panthers S
Competition for places is fierce within the Carolina Panthers' safety room. Sam Franklin Jr. going down with a broken foot opened things up slightly for others. Jammie Robinson might be the primary beneficiary if he can finish the summer's engagements before Week 1 on a high.
Robinson came to the Panthers as a fifth-round selection in 2023 but didn't see much action on the defensive rotation. The former Florida State star performed well on special teams when called upon. However, this wasn't going to guarantee his roster place this time around despite defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero opting to stick around under Dave Canales.
Credit where it's due, Robinson did his chances endless good this offseason. He's playing with ferocity and added discipline, flashing consistently over Carolina's first two preseason games. His potential departure could be a numbers game more than anything else.
Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, and Alex Cook are certain to make the squad. That might be all the Panthers take through. If the decision is five safeties, then Robinson is fighting it out with recent arrival Rudy Ford and emerging undrafted free agent Demani Richardson for involvement.
Cade Mays - Carolina Panthers OL
The Panthers are expecting major improvements from their offensive line in 2024. Dan Morgan spared no expense to fortify the interior by signing Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. Austin Corbett's switch to the center spot is a calculated risk. Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu have the scope to be a bookend tackle tandem with enhanced consistency from the guard spots.
Carolina's lack of depth is concerning. Brady Christensen can be deployed anywhere along the line, which is a nice luxury to have. Yosh Nijman is the primary swing tackle and represents a significant upgrade on anything the Panthers had during Bryce Young's first campaign.
After that, it's a mixed bag. Cade Mays was taking backup center reps at training camp and was adequate. However, an injury will likely deny him the chance of making another strong claim in Carolina's preseason finale at the Buffalo Bills.
If others - especially newcomers Jack Anderson and Mason Brooks - perform well after some encouraging signs with no preparation time in Preseason Week 2, a situation could emerge where Mays is deemed surplus to requirements. That sounds harsh, but this is a business above all else.