5 winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers preseason loss at NY Giants
By Dean Jones
Who were the big winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers' preseason defeat against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium?
Despite a late rally from the Carolina Panthers, they were unable to claw back the New York Giants en route to their second straight preseason loss. While nobody is pressing the panic button yet, it's clear there is a lot of hard work ahead before Frank Reich's men take the field in Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons.
Of course, the scheme is bland, and certain underperforming players aren't going to be around after final cuts. The Panthers also have the option of bringing in additional reinforcements from the waiver wire if the right opportunities come along.
There are some major overreactions currently unfolding among the fanbase. The results don't matter at this juncture, but another defeat is the clearest sign yet that expectations should be tempered after so many changes across the franchise since the 2022 campaign concluded.
With that being said, here are five winners and losers from the Panthers' second preseason game at the Giants.
Winner No. 1
Raequan Williams - Carolina Panthers DL
With Derrick Brown, Brian Burns, and Justin Houston sitting out the warmup contest, it was another chance for those lower down the pecking order to stake their claim. Raequan Williams fits into this category and after a strong training camp, the defensive lineman put together an eye-catching display at MetLife Stadium.
Williams was a constant menace at the line of scrimmage, generating push against the run and also showcasing his pass-rushing prowess to great effect. He even managed to generate a sack coming off a double-team, which won't have gone unnoticed by the coaching staff when they begin evaluations.
This part of the preparation period is all about seizing opportunities. Williams is giving the Panthers' brass plenty to think about, which was always half the battle coming in for the Michigan State product.