5 Carolina Panthers players on the hot seat entering Week 1 at the Saints

Ikem Ekwonu - Carolina Panthers OT

Ikem Ekwonu placed himself on the hot seat by admitting a sense of complacency and unwillingness to take on coaching last season. This was an unacceptable attitude for any player to adopt, especially after one season. It also resulted in some severe complications between the white lines.

Ekwonu's technical flaws were exposed constantly. He couldn't generate any positive momentum and lacked the correct discipline to further raise concerns. Some fans clamored to move him onto their interior as a result, but the Carolina Panthers are giving him one more chance to prove himself as a blindside force in 2024.

Things look more promising for Ekwonu this time around. He enjoyed a profitable summer and built back confidence. The blocking concepts and focus on running the football seem much better suited to his physical gifts. The North Carolina State product also seems refocused and ready to impose himself once again.

Expect the New Orleans Saints to test him heavily early in the contest. How he copes with the inevitable barrage coming his way will be a crucial component of the overall outcome.

D.J. Johnson - Carolina Panthers OLB

The Panthers have one glaring concern above all else heading into Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints. Their edge-rushing options look wafer-thin and are causing significant trepidation among the fanbase. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero didn't seem too concerned when speaking to the media this week. Jadeveoon Clowney is also confident those further down the pecking order can raise their performance levels when given the chance.

It seems for all the smart money as if D.J. Johnson will start opposite Clowney at the Caesars Superdome. The former third-round selection had a rude awakening last season as an aging development project. There is still trust in the player from Evero's standpoint, even if it's not an opinion shared by the team's long-suffering support.

Johnson might have some work to do from a pass-rushing perspective. Evero likes players who can set the edge against the run within his 3-4 base scheme. That's what the Oregon product does better.

It would be a surprise if the Panthers didn't add to their edge options in the coming weeks. But this is a major audition for Johnson to establish himself as a starting-caliber performer.